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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Alexander Litvinenko death: verdict on public inquiry due | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The widow of the murdered KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko will find out on Tuesday | The widow of the murdered KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko will find out on Tuesday |
| the result of the latest round of her legal battle for a public inquiry | the result of the latest round of her legal battle for a public inquiry |
| into her husband’s death. | into her husband’s death. |
| Marina Litvinenko’s high court challenge is over the UK government’s | Marina Litvinenko’s high court challenge is over the UK government’s |
| decision to await the outcome of a normal inquest before deciding | decision to await the outcome of a normal inquest before deciding |
| whether there should be a wider-ranging inquiry. | whether there should be a wider-ranging inquiry. |
| Ms Litvinenko has said she wants to get to the truth of how her husband | Ms Litvinenko has said she wants to get to the truth of how her husband |
| came to die in 2006 after fleeing Russia and receiving political asylum | came to die in 2006 after fleeing Russia and receiving political asylum |
| in the UK. | in the UK. |
| He was poisoned with radioactive polonium-210 while drinking tea | He was poisoned with radioactive polonium-210 while drinking tea |
| with two Russian men, one a former KGB officer, at the Millennium Hotel | with two Russian men, one a former KGB officer, at the Millennium Hotel |
| in London’s Grosvenor Square. | in London’s Grosvenor Square. |
| His family believes he was working for MI6 at the time and was killed on the orders of the Kremlin. | His family believes he was working for MI6 at the time and was killed on the orders of the Kremlin. |
| Ms Litvinenko is seeking a ruling that the home secretary, Theresa May, | Ms Litvinenko is seeking a ruling that the home secretary, Theresa May, |
| was wrong not to order a public inquiry into the 43-year-old’s | was wrong not to order a public inquiry into the 43-year-old’s |
| death. | death. |
| Lord Justice Richards, Lord Justice Treacy and Mr Justice Mitting will announce their decision following a hearing last month. | Lord Justice Richards, Lord Justice Treacy and Mr Justice Mitting will announce their decision following a hearing last month. |
| At that hearing the home secretary’s decision not to set up a public | At that hearing the home secretary’s decision not to set up a public |
| inquiry was attacked as “obviously against the public interest” and | inquiry was attacked as “obviously against the public interest” and |
| “legally irrational”. | “legally irrational”. |
| Ben Emmerson QC, for Ms Litvinenko, accused May of adopting the | Ben Emmerson QC, for Ms Litvinenko, accused May of adopting the |
| “bizarre” position of waiting to see what came out of a pending inquest | “bizarre” position of waiting to see what came out of a pending inquest |
| so restricted that it would not be able to examine secret evidence | so restricted that it would not be able to examine secret evidence |
| linked to allegations of Russian state involvement in the death. | linked to allegations of Russian state involvement in the death. |
| Emmerson argued there was “a strong and overwhelming” need for a public inquiry. It was needed to establish whether Litvinenko was the victim of a | Emmerson argued there was “a strong and overwhelming” need for a public inquiry. It was needed to establish whether Litvinenko was the victim of a |
| crime committed “for private criminal purposes” or whether it was a | crime committed “for private criminal purposes” or whether it was a |
| “state-sponsored assassination carried out on the territory of the UK on | “state-sponsored assassination carried out on the territory of the UK on |
| the orders of the Russian government”. | the orders of the Russian government”. |
| He added that a statutory inquiry was the only way of investigating | He added that a statutory inquiry was the only way of investigating |
| that central question as it involved accessing sensitive information | that central question as it involved accessing sensitive information |
| covered by public interest immunity certificates. The courts had decided | covered by public interest immunity certificates. The courts had decided |
| that information could not be made available to the inquest. | that information could not be made available to the inquest. |
| The coroner himself – the high court judge Sir Robert Owen – had called for a public inquiry, said Emmerson. | The coroner himself – the high court judge Sir Robert Owen – had called for a public inquiry, said Emmerson. |
| Neil Garnham QC, for the home secretary, argued that the claim | Neil Garnham QC, for the home secretary, argued that the claim |
| should fail because the obligation to hold an effective, official | should fail because the obligation to hold an effective, official |
| investigation into the death was being discharged by the government | investigation into the death was being discharged by the government |
| through a police investigation and the proposed inquest. | through a police investigation and the proposed inquest. |
| He submitted that May’s decision not to hold a public inquiry was rational and lawful. | He submitted that May’s decision not to hold a public inquiry was rational and lawful. |