The papers: Fury at Corbyn Russia response

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The political fallout from the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia continues to dominate the front pages.

Jeremy Corbyn stoked a furious row at Westminster over his response to the Russian chemical attack after his office suggested there was a "problematic" history over the use of British intelligence, writes The Herald.

The UK Labour leader was accused of appeasing Vladimir Putin and was disowned by his MPs for failing to back Theresa May's tough stance against Moscow, according to the Scottish Daily Mail.

The Scottish Sun says Mr Corbyn has been branded "Valdimir Putin's puppet" after failing to condemn Russia over the nerve agent attack in Salisbury on 4 March.

By contrast, Nicola Sturgeon has won praise for the SNP after backing Theresa May's tough response towards Russia over the nerve agent attack, writes The Scotsman.

The National also takes the same line and writes that the prime minister has been given the backing of Ms Sturgeon for her decision to expel 23 Russian government officials from the UK in one of the biggest diplomatic rows since the Cold War.

Mrs May told MPs the individuals being kicked out in the biggest expulsion of its kind for more than 30 years had all been identified as undeclared spies and had been given a week to leave, writes the Daily Record.

However, The Times claims that France has undermined Theresa May's attempts to build a consensus for punitive action against Russia by accusing her of punishing the regime prematurely.

Britain is at a profound moment in its history and cannot "sit back" and let events overtake it, the defence secretary has told The Daily Telegraph, as he unveils new measures to tackle chemical and biological warfare.

Meanwhile, a Russian businessman found dead at his London home headed a "hit list" of 22 UK-based exiles, the Daily Express reveals.

In other news, the i newspaper says the world has paid tribute to one of the greatest scientists of all time after Professor Stephen Hawking died peacefully at his home in Cambridge on Wednesday.

The Daily Star says that "legendary" crime writer Martina Cole has "stuck the knife into Coronation Street" for being too violent and has said recent storylines in the soap have not been up to scratch.

Part of Kirkcaldy High Street was cordoned off after a man "had his face slashed" in a bank, reports The Courier, which says the incident happened on Wednesday.

The Press and Journal reveals that the collapse of construction firm Carillion means that the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route is not now expected to be finished until the summer.

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