Is your bank at home in three markets or 53? With on-the-ground specialists in over 50 markets,

H-SBC UK has been voted the leading bank for trade for the last seven years so let us help you

navigate international business like a local search H.S.B.C. International Bank to

find out more. H.S.B.C. UK, opening up a world of opportunity.

Voted the UK's Best Trade Finance Bank for seven consecutive years by Euromoney UK Trade Finance

Survey 2023. Welcome to EFTT Politics, the Financial Times weekly discussion on what's happening in Westminster.

I'm Sebastian Payne and in this week's episode we'll be discussing Jeremy Corbyn's response to the Russia's spy attack in Salisbury and Philip Hammond's

first spring statement.

I'm delighted to be joined by George Parker, the FT's political editor, Chief Political

Correspondent Jim Picard, Economics Editor Chris Jules, and deputy comment editor Moran

the Green. Thank you all for joining. And if you like this episode of FT Politics,

don't forget to subscribe through the usual channel to receive it automatically every Saturday morning.

The Salisbury skies band rode on this week with Theresa May pointing the fingers squarely

at Russia for the attempted merger of Sergei and Yulis Scripple.

Britain's allies, Germany, France and the United States all agreed with her and promised full support.

Most MPs across the House of Commons did too, with one notable exception.

Jeremy Corbyn, the opposition leader's unconventional views on foreign policy, came to the

fall as he refused to blame Russia for what's happened.

Before we get to that, George Parker, let's just begin with a quick update on the whole thing.

What do we know since last week and what has Theresa May done?

Well Theresa May's given a statement to the House of Commons where she's announced the most sweeping sanctions ready against Russia for a generation in response with the Salisbury attacks, the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats which we expect to take place over the next few days.

We've had the threat of assets being seized, travel bans, the usual suite of government

...