LONDON - The 23 Russian diplomats expelled by the British government left London Tuesday on their return journey to Moscow.

Along with family members, a fleet of coaches transported the 80 departing Russians to the airport for their flight home.

A group of friends and colleagues, many of them smiling and waving, watched the Russians as they left the embassy in central London.

As they were leaving, British Prime Minister Theresa May was preparing to chair a meeting of the national emergency committee to discuss whether more sanctions should be imposed in a row between Britain and Russia over a nerve agent attack in Salisbury on a former Russian secret agent and his daughter.

The Russian government has denied any involvement and is expelling 23 British diplomats in response, as well as closing the British consulate in St. Petersburg and the Moscow office of the British Council.

Russian Ambassador to Britain Alexander Yakovenko hosted a reception in honor of the diplomats forced to leave Britain by what the Russian Embassy described as the hostile decision of the British government. The event was attended by embassy staff, family members and their friends.

In a radio interview Tuesday, the leader of the main opposition party, Labour's Jeremy Corbyn, said Britain must still deal with Russia despite "all fingers" pointing to it over the Salisbury spy attack.

Corbyn said he would "do business" with the Russian President Vladimir Putin "but assertively and on the basis of the UK's values".

In the interview Corbyn added: "Russia is a huge country that suffered more than anyone else in World War II and we have to recognize that there has to be a relationship with Russia. Robust, yes, assertive, yes, demanding yes, but there has to be a relationship."