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Some called for an urgent parliamentary debate on whether the England team should take part in the contest. And there were calls for the Football Association to consider unilaterally pulling out. The World Cup calls intensified last night as international support for Theresa May’s tough response to the Kremlin following the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia grew. France, Germany and the US all backed a joint statement with the Government abhorring the attack and agreeing that Russian state involvement was the only credible explanation. Ministers are understood to be keen to demonstrate that Britain is a democracy where the Government does not tell sporting organisation and other civil bodies what to do in contrast to the dictatorial behaviour of President Putin’s regime.

GETTY MPs have said England should consider boycotting the summer's football world cup

GETTY MPs worry that Putin will use the World Cup as propaganda

I am very concerned that Putin will use the World Cup in the same way that Hitler used the 1936 Munich Olympics, as a public relations exercise for a brutal dictatorship. Ian Austin

But an increasing number of MPs have said the pressure on Moscow should be increased with a campaign for a World Cup boycott. Labour MP John Woodcock said: “I would like to see a parliamentary debate on whether concerted Government action together with other countries to postpone the World Cup or move it to another venue would be the right way to go. “This is a decision which should be shared between the Government, the fans and the FA. I don’t want to see anyone dictated to and I am not calling for England to unilaterally withdraw from the tournament. “But there is a growing appetite among MPs to push for concerted international action over the World Cup. It should be on the table because of the appalling magnitude of what Russia has done.” Ian Austin, another Labour MP, said: “I am very concerned that Putin will use the World Cup in the same way that Hitler used the 1936 Munich Olympics, as a public relations exercise for a brutal dictatorship.”

GETTY For the moment Boris Johnson ruled out a boycott

Mr Austin, who also expressed fears for the safety of England fans, said pressing for a mass boycott should be looked at. Senior Tory MP Bernard Jenkin said: “In the end this is a matter for the Football Association, after consulting the players and other stakeholders, and for individual players, fans and others. We live in a free country. The Government cannot ban people from going. But I would not go. “After the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, nobody was banned from going to the 1980 summer Olympics in Moscow but the UK government and the Royal Family refused and many competitors and teams voluntarily pulled out.” But Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson yesterday insisted there were no plans to stop England competing in the World Cup. He said: “I don’t want to punish either English fans or the English team. That is not the plan. What we are certainly not going to have is high-level representation at the World Cup.”

PA Theresa May made a joint statement with the USA, France and Germany

In a statement, the FA said it will “continue to work closely with the Government and relevant authorities”. It added: “Our priority for all England matches is to ensure the safety and security of the fans, players and staff. As is standard practice, we will take all travel guidance from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.” In further signs of international backing for Britain Nato chiefs yesterday promised to defend “all allies against any threat” while warning that Russia posed an increasing global risk. The military alliance’s support came a day after Mrs May announced measures including the expulsion of 23 Russian alleged spies as punishment for the attempted assassination Mr Skripal. As the UK awaited Moscow’s promised retaliation yesterday US President Donald Trump’s administration slapped its own sanctions on Russian individuals and entities for meddling in the 2016 US election and cyber attacks on America’s energy grid. A joint statement was issued in the names of Mrs May, Mr Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, as the Prime Minister visited Salisbury.

Anna Chapman in pictures: Russian spy swapped for poisoned Sergei Skripal Tue, March 6, 2018 Anna Chapman in pictures: Russian spy swapped for poisoned Sergei Skripal. Play slideshow Getty 1 of 11 Russian spy Anna Chapman in pictures

Mr Macron initially indicated doubts about blaming Moscow but after he spoke again to Mrs May yesterday morning, the president’s team said France agreed it was the only plausible explanation. In Washington, Donald Trump said: “It certainly looks like the Russians were behind it. We are taking it very seriously.” The statement “abhorred” the Salisbury attack and agreed Russian involvement was the only believable explanation. "This use of a military-grade nerve agent, of a type developed by Russia, constitutes the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since the Second World War,” they went on. “It is an assault on UK sovereignty and any such use by a state party is a clear violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and a breach of international law. “It threatens the security of us all.”

Turf war…should England play in the tournament? Yes, writes Matthew Dunn Safety of the players, staff and fans must be paramount. However, to keep an England team away from a World Cup in Russia merely as a political gambit would be an insult to the memory of the soldiers who fought for our freedom in the First World War. When troops emerged from the trenches on Christmas Day 1914, it was for a game of football. Sport can transcend war – cold or in its bloodiest reality. We trumpet as a national characteristic our ability to put differences aside, compete in a sporting manner, and then shake hands afterwards. Gareth Southgate’s side should rightly shun any attempt by Vladimir Putin to politicise the competition but still embrace this jamboree. Russia should not be allowed to spoil that. The question is not should England go to the World Cup, but should the World Cup go to Russia?

Russia spy poisoning: Latest pictures after Sergei Skripal puts Salisbury on lockdown Thu, March 8, 2018 Russia spy poisoning: Latest pictures after Sergei Skripal puts Salisbury on lockdown. Play slideshow PA 1 of 20 Personnel in hazmat suits secure a tent covering a bench in Salisbury's Maltings shopping centre