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Ayesha Hazarika made the claim after Mr Corbyn had initially refused to condemn Russia for the attack while his official spokesman had suggested British agencies might be trying to frame

Putin’s regime. Ms Hazarika said: “People were not completely clear about what he was saying. “Actually some very senior members of the shadow cabinet, who are great supporters of Jeremy

Corbyn, have privately said to me that they just wished that in that moment he had been completely crystal clear about the condemnation.” Speaking to BBC Newsnight, she later added: “We need

to be showing, as the opposition, some responsibility and some solidarity for the national interest and not just the party interest.” Her words have come after Mr Corbyn was attacked by his

own Shadow Defence Secretary yesterday for failing to immediately condemn Vladimir Putin over the Salisbury spy incident and support the mass expulsion of Russian diplomats. The beleaguered

Labour leader was criticised by Nia Griffith as Labour MPs lined up to condemn him for failing to back Theresa May. Ms Griffith publicly backed the mass expulsion of 23 diplomats, saying it

would have been “easier for us” if the Labour leader made it clear he supported the move too. Asked if Jeremy Corbyn had undermined UK security assessments that it was “highly likely”

Russia was behind their poisoning, Ms Griffith said: “Looking back, perhaps it would have been easier for us if he had made it clear at the beginning of what he said, just how much we

support the expulsion of the diplomats.” Facing mounting criticism, Mr Corbyn yesterday finally said he “totally condemns” attack although he avoided name-checking Vladimir Putin. He

conceded: “The evidence points towards Russia on this. “Therefore responsibility must be borne by those that made the weapon, those that brought the weapon into the country and those that

used the weapon.” Ms Griffith’s comments were quickly supported by several Labour MPs. Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw said she was “spot on”, while Kingston Upon Hull North MP Diana Johnson said she

“fully” supported the Shadow Defence Secretary. It was also reported Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry refused to back Mr Corbyn, telling a London seminar: “We utterly condemn this

despicable act and support all the measures taken by the Government today.” RUSSIAN SPY POISONING: MAY CONDEMNS 'TRAGIC' ACTIONS OF PUTIN Labour MP John Woodcock has tabled an

Early Day Motion “unequivocally” accepting the “Russian state’s culpability” for the attack, and supporting “fully” the statement made by Mrs May in the Commons. The motion was swiftly

signed by a number of prominent critics of Mr Corbyn, some of whom went public with their criticism of the leader’s senior aide Seumas Milne for suggesting that British security agencies

could be to blame for the attack. Labour MP Anna Turley tweeted: “I’m afraid Seumas doesn’t speak for my Labour or British values”, while Chuka Umunna said: “Mr Milne’s comments do not

represent the views of the majority of our voters, members or MPs.”