Burnham-On-Sea’s MP James Heappey has said that action must be taken against senior Russian individuals connected to Putin following the attacks in Salisbury last week.
“Hundreds of innocent Wiltshire residents were put in danger by the irresponsible attack and we simply cannot allow this behaviour to be unanswered – it could just as easily have happened in Glastonbury, Burnham-On-Sea or Wells instead,” says the MP.
He believes the UK should “deploy offensive cyber capabilities” against senior individuals connected to Putin and other Russian agencies.
The Burnham-On-Sea MP said: “The attack in Salisbury, probably by Russia, cannot be something that we take lightly. As terrifying as it may be to consider prolonged disagreement with Putin, we cannot allow foreign powers to carry out attacks on UK sovereign territory and that injure British nationals.”
“The West has already stood by whilst Russia has annexed the Crimea, meddled in the Ukraine, supported the murderous Assad, probably shot down a passenger airline and interfered in western elections.”
“Putin and his supporters have never shaken their Cold War mentality and respond to nothing other than strength. With our allies around the world committed to standing with us as we calibrate our response, we must make sure that we react meaningfully but not disproportionately.”
“This is not the moment for the consideration of a military response nor should we lower ourselves to Putin’s level by considering a response that would affect innocent Russian civilians, like a mass cyber attack.”
“However sanctions and expulsions will do nothing do deter Putin from continuing such behaviour on British soil. It is firmly my view that we should deploy our offensive cyber capabilities against senior individuals connected to Putin and other Russian agencies which also may be connected to the attacks.”
“Such a response may well go unnoticed by the general public, as much of our cyber capability is highly classified. Nonetheless it is my opinion that sometimes the UK must resolutely stand its ground and this is very clearly one of those times.”
“This attack did not happen overseas, nor even in a restaurant in London. This happened in our neighbouring cathedral city in a pizza restaurant similar to something that many of us would eat in regularly.”
