Jeremy Corbyn defies critics and calls for calm over Russia

Jeremy Corbyn has defied critics in his own party and warned the prime minister against “rushing way ahead of the evidence” over the Salisbury poisoning, in what he called the “fevered” atmosphere of Westminster. The Labour leader used an article in the Guardian to urge the government to take a “calm, measured” approach – and warn against the drift towards a “new cold war” with Russia. Corbyn was criticised by some in his own party on Wednesday for what they regarded as his lacklustre response to Theresa May’s announcement of action against Moscow over the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, with a nerve agent.