1) Why are we going to spend £millions on a public inquiry about a Russian spy/double agent who may have been killed by Russia? Whats in it for the UK? What possible advantage could their possibly be for me & you?

2) If the Inquiry is going to look at ALL circumstances of this murder, is it right that the inquiry will be chaired by senior judge Sir Robert Owen, who was the coroner at Mr Litvinenko's inquest last year? Er, conflict of interest anyone?

Lets have a public inquiry to how we treat our elderly population, or immigration, or even the scandal that is the private rental market. But an 8 year old spy death?

I feel the same on a lot of issues. Like when someone gets killed and the circumstances and reason are clear cut, why an autopsy, inquest, whatever.

Why do the Police close a road for hours after a single car accident when the circumstances are also clear cut. What purpose does it serve ?
Rail platform jumper, why the excessive multi hour closure period?

May very well be valid and the reason passes me by.

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Lets be careful out there !

Russia is suddenly persona non grata..

It suits the agenda at this point to have the enquiry. Nothing about justice for the Litvinenko family just about creating another stick to beat Putin with.

Last week it wasn't needed so no enquiry business as usual this week Russia are not toeing the line = enquiry. It is being used as a political tool nothing else.

As is usual though nothing will happen. Russia holds all the cards. Upset her too much and she turns the gas off when it starts to get cold. That not only could have the power to bring down these same governments which are now criticising but to also severely damage economies.

Hollande has already told Cameron to get stuffed over those two chopper carriers and Angela is not keen to play ball either as Russia is one of Germany's biggest export markets.

Totally agree. Utterly pointless waste of money.

Why have an enquiry when we pretty much know who did it, and there's no chance the suspects will ever be returned to the UK?

I'd be more interested in an enquiry into the mysterious death of the M16 man in the bag - I reckon there must be many aspects of this case they we haven't been told. Very strange.

I see your point RK, but for single sudden deaths we have the inquest system. The spy-in-the-bag case was investigated and subject to an inquest, so where's the public interest to spend £millions on this case?

Public Inquiries should be limited to major accidents (where the public were involved or at risk) and in other public interest cases. That means possible (current or recent) corruption in public office and similar issues.

In any case (excuse the pun!), wold a public inquiry be the best tool to investigate intelligence issues where, by definition, some secrecy is necessary.

The enquiry is of course only another stick to beat Putin and the Russian state with but consider this.

There will be little in the way of Sanctions as the so called economic recovery is so fragile. Upsetting Russia too much could jeopardise the whole kaboodle and the next crash will be the big one.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/201 ... -on-russia


http://rt.com/business/174908-sanctions ... -meltdown/



Therefore don't expect too much action economic wise against Russia. Firing up this public enquiry gives the impression something is being done to penalise and the vast majority will swallow it.
The Russian oligarchs and their spinoffs will still be allowed to purchase property and assets in the middle on London.

Meanwhile Putin sits pretty knowing he can get away with providing hi tech anti aircraft missiles to unprofessional, often drunk (freedom fighters) rebels who can shoot down civil airliners killing hundreds and it pretty much untouchable.

NATO and the EU kicked all this off by trying to take UKR into their fold. Putin is striking back via the back door to avoid the US missile defence shield being placed along his Western borders.
This is a game of power. The EU and NATO push a bit the Russians push back, each time they are getting bolder. The EU signs co-operation treaty's with UKR with a view to exploring options for them to join and a few weeks later a Malaysian jet bites the dust.

This is all co-ordinated and deliberate, Putin is pushing the envelop to see how far he can go and what the response will be. Looks to me he is holding all the cards and that sometime soon he may be minded to put Russian troops onto the ground in UKR and more importantly for us (as it is where our gas comes from) some Baltic states.

Russia does seem to be slowly but surely extending its borders with hardline tactics. It's got to be stopped somehow.

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Lets be careful out there !

It's a pity that the CIA/MI6 don't stir up trouble in Chechnya to give the Russians something to think about.

Here is an analysis of the downing of MH17, and NATO extending its borders, that you won't find in the main stream media:
http://21stcenturywire.com/2014/07/25/m ... ag-attack/