Russia spy scandal: Theresa May targets Russians with wave of sanctions Theresa May is preparing to announce tough new sanctions against the Kremlin today following the Salisbury chemical attack, including possible […]

Theresa May is preparing to announce tough new sanctions against the Kremlin today following the Salisbury chemical attack, including possible expulsions of diplomats in London, freezing of Russian assets in Britain and tightening visa rules on travelers to this country.

A senior minister said Russia could face a “whole panoply” of economic, financial and diplomatic measures in retaliation for its suspected involvement in the poisoning of former British spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.

Mrs May is also attempting to win backing from co-ordinated international moves against Russia.

The i politics newsletter cut through the noise Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription.

She gave Vladimir Putin until midnight on Tuesday to provide a “credible” explanation of how the deadly nerve agent novichok, which is only produced in Russia, came to be used against the Skripals.

As the deadline approached, the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said claims of his country’s involvement were “rubbish” and said Britain had turned down a request for access to samples of the substance.

Mrs May used the time before the deadline expired to rally support from key foreign allies for imposing fresh penalties on Russia.

There was initial alarm in government circles of Rex Tillerson’s surprise sacking as US Secretary of State after he broke from the White House and blamed Russia for the attack.

But Downing Street drew comfort from a conversation between Mrs May and the President last night.

A spokesman said: “President Trump said the US was with the UK all the way, agreeing that the Russian Government must provide unambiguous answers as to how this nerve agent came to be used.”

She also won the support of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Downing Street said: “They discussed the pattern of aggressive Russian behaviour and agreed it would be important to act in unison with allies to counter it.”

Dominic Raab, the housing minister, said that a unsatisfactory response from Moscow “opens up the whole panoply of counter-measures from the economic, financial, diplomatic measures”.

It looks highly that Russian diplomats face expulsion from Britain. They could include its UK ambassador, Alexander Yakovenko, who had a frosty meeting with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on Monday.

The move would inevitably lead to tit-for-tat expulsions of British diplomats in Moscow.

Russian oligarchs with close links to the Kremlin could have their assets frozen, especially if there are suspicions over the source of their wealth.

The government could use the Criminal Finances Act to force Russian millionaires to explain how they paid for expensive British properties, or could act under human rights legislation. Fresh measures against money-laundering could be announced.

Mrs May has said discussions are underway over a British equivalent of the US “Magnitsky Act” aimed at Russian officials involved in the death in custody of the lawyer Sergei Magnitsky while he was investigating official corruption. It prohibits them from getting to their money in American banks or entering the US.

Several Conservative MPs have supported “Magnitsky amendments” into the Sanctions Bill going through Parliament.