Theresa May will NOT be attending the World Cup final, should England proceed that far. She will definitely NOT be going if we’re out before then. Fortunately, Harry Kane is NOT part of this strong political stance and WILL be attending, should the unthinkable actually occur. But no Theresa. What a tragic loss for the players…?

Its all about relations with Russia. And the aftermath of the Salisbury thing. Words were slung, relations plummeted, like an aunt falling from a plane without a parachute. And much slagging off occurred.

But then the World Cup started and it has been a masterfully controlled occasion for everyone to enjoy. The security and policing have been fantastic, there’s been hardly any ‘trouble’, just a little skirmish on the tube after the Colombian match on Tuesday, but boys will be boys. And thugs will be thugs. So everyone’s in a really “I ‘heart’ Russia” place at the moment.

Then Amesbury happened. Holy shit. Two more people are hospitalised suffering the effects of novichok nerve agent. Same one used on the Kripals in Salisbury. But this time the couple involved were not spies against Russia, they weren’t cloak-and-dagger types at all, cold warrers or anything clandestine or sinister. This couple was more likely to be found lying on a pavement outside Tescos with their eyes rolled back.

Because they are addicts. Him to heroin, her to alcohol. And murder may be how the Russians treat their own poor down-and-outs, to clear the streets before the football began and create a peachy impression for the glut of tourists, but they have no right to do so here. Not that the couple were homeless, because they weren’t. Yet obviously they were somewhat ‘alternative’ without wishing to get too Daily Mail-ian about it.

And in a way its unfair to even mention the previous difficulties of this couple. Which is probably why I chose to do it. If they were chartered accountants or schoolteachers the tragedy would be no worse. But it does make it ‘different’ and I’m not sure why. Not sure I even like myself very much for even asking the question.

Long and short of it is: its either another ‘attack’ which is most unlikely, or this poor couple stumbled across the discarded nerve agent; but over 3 months after the original attack? Or the entire Greater Salisbury area is awash with fucking toxins so strong that you’ll never be the same again if you come within 200 yards of them. None of which are particularly comforting.

Happy Friday

A xxxx