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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Saddam hanging deplorable - Brown | Saddam hanging deplorable - Brown |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Chancellor Gordon Brown has condemned the way in which Saddam Hussein was executed as "deplorable". | Chancellor Gordon Brown has condemned the way in which Saddam Hussein was executed as "deplorable". |
| Mr Brown told BBC One's Sunday AM show the manner of the former Iraqi leader's hanging was "completely unacceptable". | Mr Brown told BBC One's Sunday AM show the manner of the former Iraqi leader's hanging was "completely unacceptable". |
| The chancellor said he was personally against the death penalty, and he hoped lessons would be learnt from the mistakes made in Saddam's execution. | The chancellor said he was personally against the death penalty, and he hoped lessons would be learnt from the mistakes made in Saddam's execution. |
| Mobile phone footage of the hanging showed Saddam being taunted. Tony Blair has not yet commented on the hanging. | Mobile phone footage of the hanging showed Saddam being taunted. Tony Blair has not yet commented on the hanging. |
| Even those people unlike me who are in favour of capital punishment found this completely unacceptable Gordon Brown | |
| Mr Brown said: "Now that we know the full picture of what happened, we can sum this up as a deplorable set of events. | Mr Brown said: "Now that we know the full picture of what happened, we can sum this up as a deplorable set of events. |
| "It is something, of course, which the Iraqi Government has now expressed its anxiety and shame at. | "It is something, of course, which the Iraqi Government has now expressed its anxiety and shame at. |
| "It has done nothing to lessen tensions between the Shia and Sunni communities." | "It has done nothing to lessen tensions between the Shia and Sunni communities." |
| He added: "Even those people unlike me who are in favour of capital punishment found this completely unacceptable and I am pleased that there is now an inquiry into this and I hope lessons in this area will be learnt, as we learn other lessons about Iraq." | |
| Shia slogans | Shia slogans |
| Last week Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, in charge of the country while the prime minister was on holiday, also described the filming of the execution as "deplorable". | Last week Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, in charge of the country while the prime minister was on holiday, also described the filming of the execution as "deplorable". |
| Mr Blair has said he will speak about the 30 December execution next week, although Downing Street said the PM supported an Iraqi investigation into the hanging. | Mr Blair has said he will speak about the 30 December execution next week, although Downing Street said the PM supported an Iraqi investigation into the hanging. |
| Education Secretary and deputy leadership candidate Alan Johnson told the Observer he also had concerns about the way the execution was carried out. | Education Secretary and deputy leadership candidate Alan Johnson told the Observer he also had concerns about the way the execution was carried out. |
| "I agree with John Prescott's remarks about the way it was handled and I am an opponent of the death penalty. | "I agree with John Prescott's remarks about the way it was handled and I am an opponent of the death penalty. |
| "But it was a matter for the Iraqi people to make that judgment. | "But it was a matter for the Iraqi people to make that judgment. |
| "What happened at the end shouldn't detract from the terrible crimes that Saddam committed." | "What happened at the end shouldn't detract from the terrible crimes that Saddam committed." |
| Initial Iraqi government film showed Saddam being executed in a relatively dignified manner, however mobile phone footage emerged showing Saddam - a Sunni - being taunted with Shia slogans. | Initial Iraqi government film showed Saddam being executed in a relatively dignified manner, however mobile phone footage emerged showing Saddam - a Sunni - being taunted with Shia slogans. |
| Following Mr Brown's remarks, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said: "The prime minister's continuing silence is deafening. | Following Mr Brown's remarks, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said: "The prime minister's continuing silence is deafening. |
| "His unwillingness to condemn the shameful scenes surrounding Saddam Hussein's execution does him no credit." | "His unwillingness to condemn the shameful scenes surrounding Saddam Hussein's execution does him no credit." |
| The full interview with Gordon Brown will be shown on Sunday AM on BBC One at 0900 GMT on Sunday 7 January. | The full interview with Gordon Brown will be shown on Sunday AM on BBC One at 0900 GMT on Sunday 7 January. |