Chameleon Magazine

Two Years, Countless Meetings… And the Embassy’s Still Serving Tea

So apparently we’ve spent two years investigating the death of a Russian citizen in a Russian prison.

Two years.

Not a British citizen.

Not on British soil.

Not under British jurisdiction.

But don’t worry — Whitehall’s finest minds were on it.

Committees were formed.

Briefings were written.

Taxpayer money was spent.

Statements were rehearsed.

And after all that?

They’ve concluded Russia was responsible.

Well done. Gold star. Slow clap.

Now here’s the question ordinary people are asking:

If you’ve concluded the Russian state is culpable… why is the Russian embassy still sitting comfortably in London with the heating on?

Drive past Kensington Palace Gardens and you’ll see it.

Flags flying.

Cars coming and going.

Security posted.

Business as usual.

So what exactly was the point?

If this was about “sending a message,” then the message seems to be:

“We strongly disapprove… but not strongly enough to actually inconvenience anyone.”

Meanwhile back in real Britain:

Police can’t attend burglaries.

Court cases drag on for years.

Local councils are bankrupt.

You’ll get fined for your bins being out too long.

And taxes are rising because apparently there’s no money.

But don’t worry — there was time and funding to investigate a prison death in the Arctic Circle.

Priorities, eh?

This is what people are sick of.

It’s not about whether Navalny’s death was tragic. It was.

It’s about political theatre.

Investigate.

Condemn.

Sanction someone who’ll never holiday in Brighton anyway.

Hold a press conference.

Then go back to business as usual.

If you genuinely believe a foreign state carried out a politically motivated death, then act like it.

Close the embassy.

Downgrade relations.

Do something tangible.

Or admit it’s all posturing for headlines.

Working people don’t get two-year investigations that end in symbolic gestures.

If you don’t pay your tax bill, you don’t get a press conference and a stern warning — you get a penalty.

But when governments investigate other governments?

Apparently it’s just strongly worded letters and a handshake behind closed doors.

Maybe it’s time ministers stopped trying to look like global sheriffs and started fixing what’s broken at home.

Because from the outside, this doesn’t look like strength.

It looks like expensive moral grandstanding.

And taxpayers are the ones footing the bill.So apparently we’ve spent two years investigating the death of a Russian citizen in a Russian prison.

Two years.

Not a British citizen.

Not on British soil.

Not under British jurisdiction.

But don’t worry — Whitehall’s finest minds were on it.

Committees were formed.

Briefings were written.

Taxpayer money was spent.

Statements were rehearsed.

And after all that?

They’ve concluded Russia was responsible.

Well done. Gold star. Slow clap.

Now here’s the question ordinary people are asking:

If you’ve concluded the Russian state is culpable… why is the Russian embassy still sitting comfortably in London with the heating on?

Drive past Kensington Palace Gardens and you’ll see it.

Flags flying.

Cars coming and going.

Security posted.

Business as usual.

So what exactly was the point?

If this was about “sending a message,” then the message seems to be:

“We strongly disapprove… but not strongly enough to actually inconvenience anyone.”

Meanwhile back in real Britain:

Police can’t attend burglaries.

Court cases drag on for years.

Local councils are bankrupt.

You’ll get fined for your bins being out too long.

And taxes are rising because apparently there’s no money.

But don’t worry — there was time and funding to investigate a prison death in the Arctic Circle.

Priorities, eh?

This is what people are sick of.

It’s not about whether Navalny’s death was tragic. It was.

It’s about political theatre.

Investigate.

Condemn.

Sanction someone who’ll never holiday in Brighton anyway.

Hold a press conference.

Then go back to business as usual.

If you genuinely believe a foreign state carried out a politically motivated death, then act like it.

Close the embassy.

Downgrade relations.

Do something tangible.

Or admit it’s all posturing for headlines.

Working people don’t get two-year investigations that end in symbolic gestures.

If you don’t pay your tax bill, you don’t get a press conference and a stern warning — you get a penalty.

But when governments investigate other governments?

Apparently it’s just strongly worded letters and a handshake behind closed doors.

Maybe it’s time ministers stopped trying to look like global sheriffs and started fixing what’s broken at home.

Because from the outside, this doesn’t look like strength.

It looks like expensive moral grandstanding.

And taxpayers are the ones footing the bill.