Mary MacLeod asks PM to meet Litvinenko widow

Following his visit to Russia, Mary Macleod asked Prime Minister Mr. Cameron if he would meet Marina Litvinenko widow of the former Russian agent who was poisoned by radioactive polonium in 2006, and who lives in her Brentford-Isleworth constituency. The controversial case was discussed between Mr. Cameron and the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during the visit.

Marina Litvinenko,who married her husband in 1994, with whom she had a son, Anatoly, is fighting a campaign to get bring the killers to justice. Four years ago wrote to then President Putin asking him not to obstruct the British investigation.

Alexander Litvinenko,who fled the country as a political refugee and became a British citizen, died in London after being poisoned with radioactive polonium..Scotland Yard's key suspect in the case is Mr. Andrew Lugovoi, whom Russia has refused to extradite to the UK for questioning.Mr. Lugovoi is a former KGB officer and is now a successful businessman. Mary Macleod asked at Prime Minister's Question Time if the PM would meet with Marina Litvinenko to give her an update. Mr. Cameron responded that the Foreign Secretary spoken to Mrs. Litvinenko before his visit to Russia.

The Prime Minister replied “ Let me be absolutely clear that the British Government have not changed their view one jot about how wrong it was for that murder to take place and about how we need a proper explanation about what happened and who was responsible. We want justice for that family.

Mr. Cameron said that while the government had not changed its view, he believed it was right at the same time to build a better relationship with Russia across a whole range of issues, including trade, the economies, and other interests such as the Middle East peace process.

"I made sure when I went to Russia that I raised not just the Litvinenko case, but many other human rights cases, including the Magnitsky case, with the Russian President and others. I think that is the right way to conduct our international relations.”

The visit by the Prime Minister, at the invitation of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev resulted in the signing of £215m of new trade deals and the creation of 500 jobs. Relations between the two countries have been tense since the death of Mr. Litvinenko.

September 15th, 2011