@Gary “Is HE the leverage on HER to have read out the prepared statement in which she turned her back (allegedly) on Russia? Is she scared for him rather than scared of further Russian action?”
This is a very good thought in my opinion! Both(!) Skripals survived but suffered severly, to make clear, that if one of them father or daughter will tell their story (about what? this dossier?) both or the other will not survive it.
So one could also say: SHE is the leverage for the Father, to be quiet like a grave.
But why not kill them both in hospital? This would have strengthened the novichok claim.
All theories about the Skripals do not make sense. Yulia was involved for some reason, not by accident.