The Scottish Government has confirmed that no Ministers or officials will attend the World Cup in Russia, following the Salisbury poisoning.

News of the snub emerged as Labour MPs signalled support for taking the tournament away from Russia

The four-yearly sporting extravaganza is due to kick off in Moscow on June 14 and is expected to be used by Vladimir Putin as a massive PR opportunity for his country.

Labour's Stephen Kinnock said Fifa should be asked whether it was appropriate to mount a celebration of football in a state suspected of being behind the deployment of a nerve agent on the streets of the UK.

Kinnock told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think we should seriously consider making a co-ordinated approach to Fifa and talk about moving the World Cup to 2019 and have it hosted in another country or countries.

"Putin has invested billions of roubles in the World Cup and sees it as an opportunity to showcase his regime to the world."

John Woodcock, another Labour MP on the right of the party, called for arliament to debate whether the government should ask its allies to advocate postponing the tournament or moving it to another country.

“I would like to see a parliamentary debate on whether concerted government action together with other countries to postpone the World Cup or move it to another venue would be the right way to go,” he said.

Woodcock’s colleague, Ian Austin, said: “I am very concerned that [Vladimir] Putin will use the World Cup in the same way that Hitler used the 1936 Munich Olympics, as a public relations exercise for a brutal dictatorship.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “No Scottish Government ministers or officials will be attending the World Cup in Russia.”

“It would be a matter for each participating country’s football association and government to consider attendance but we would support any decision made by the UK Government and the English FA in this regard”

Prime Minister Theresa May has said no Government ministers or members of the Royal Family will attend the World Cup this summer.

However, the Government has not given its backing to a boycott of the tournament, insisting that the England team's involvement is a matter for the Football Association.