The Government is to announce there will be a public inquiry into the death of the former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.
The ex KGB officer was poisoned by a cup of tea laced with the deadly radioactive element polonium 210 during a meeting at a London hotel in 2006 with two former Russian agents. He died three weeks later.
His widow, Marina has fought for a public inquiry into his death ever since but the Government refused on the grounds it wanted to wait for the outcome of an inquest.
However, the High Court ruled in February the Home Secretary should reconsider and Sky News understands Theresa May will be making the announcement in a written statement later on Tuesday.
The Litvinenko affair has caused significant diplomatic ructions between Britain and Russia. Police have asked for the arrests of two prime suspects, Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun, but the Kremlin has refused.
The announcement of an inquiry could not come at a worse time for Britain's increasingly frayed relationship with Russia as tensions between the two countries intensify over Vladimir Putin's handling of the Ukraine air disaster.
However, the Government had run out of time to make the announcement - kept low key in a written statement- because Parliament breaks up for the summer today.
Mr Litvinenko fled Russia in 2000 and was granted asylum in Britain. His widow claims he was working for MI6 at the time of his death.
Last year Sir Robert Owen, who is conducting the inquest, said he could not hold a "fair and fearless" investigation into Mr Litvinenko's death because the Government refused to release information on Russian and British intelligence involvement.
More follows...
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/litvinenko-public-inquiry-announced-065918129.html
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