Chancellor Philip Hammond has said the Government is prepared to meet the economic cost of sanctions against Russia over the nerve agent attack on a former spy and his daughter on UK soil.

Mr Hammond told The Yorkshire Post that the UK “had to defend ourselves against people who would undermine our security and democracy” no matter the cost following the attack 11 days ago on Sergei Skripal, 66, and daughter Yulia Skripal, 33, both of whom remain critically ill in hospital.

He also added that he considered the response of opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn to the Government’s decision to expel 23 Russian diplomats as “disappointing” and out of step with much of his party and the House of Commons.

Hammond says Britain '˜ready to meet the cost' of Russian sanctions following nerve agent attack