So, given the most recent statements from British Intelligence, it seems that they are poised to state that former spy Sergei Skirpal was the victim of an attempted assassination, using some sort of nerve agent. I of course understand that this is not a new occurrence in Britain or other nations. There's the fairly public attack on Alexander Litvinenko, and reading up on it, I've seen other potential foul play when it comes to former Russian intelligence in the UK and abroad.

However, this is the first time I've seen such an immediate statement with regards to the weapon used, and one that would normally point towards a state sponsored foul play. Commenting that a nerve agent was used is something that very few groups of individuals can get a hold of. I recall it taking years before they pointed the finger at Russia for Litvinenko, compared to this, where it seems they made the statement within a day or so. There's also the possibility that a British officer has been affected by this as a form of collateral damage.

So my question would be, just what could the response from the UK be? This can't be as simple as Alexander where they denounce Russia and simply toss it aside. But I can't see even Britain escalating a great deal over this. So what is the potential end game here? Heavy Sanctions? UK denouncement? Removal of diplomats and seizing of Russian funds? I'd love to hear all of your opinions on where this could go.