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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| 'No Blair pressure' on arms deal | 'No Blair pressure' on arms deal |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The attorney general has denied reports that Downing Street pressured him into ending a fraud probe into a BAE deal. | The attorney general has denied reports that Downing Street pressured him into ending a fraud probe into a BAE deal. |
| Lord Goldsmith said the controversial decision to drop the inquiry into the arms deal with Saudi Arabia was taken by the Serious Fraud Office director. | Lord Goldsmith said the controversial decision to drop the inquiry into the arms deal with Saudi Arabia was taken by the Serious Fraud Office director. |
| "The final decision was his alone," he told the BBC. | "The final decision was his alone," he told the BBC. |
| The House of Lords are debating the decision, amid claims ministers ignored anti-bribery commitments to save a £6bn Eurojet fighter deal. | |
| Earlier Lib Dem peer Lord Garden said it would be their first opportunity to question the attorney general at length, about why the two-year probe was dropped. | |
| Now we want to look at this question of whether there can ever be a justification for bending the rule of law...in the national interest on security grounds Lord Garden | Now we want to look at this question of whether there can ever be a justification for bending the rule of law...in the national interest on security grounds Lord Garden |
| "I think we would hope to explore the issue in rather more detail then we have had the opportunity to do so far," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "I think we would hope to explore the issue in rather more detail then we have had the opportunity to do so far," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
| "Now we want to look at this question of whether there can ever be a justification for bending the rule of law, balancing the rule of law as he said, in the national interest on security grounds - which is what he claims." | "Now we want to look at this question of whether there can ever be a justification for bending the rule of law, balancing the rule of law as he said, in the national interest on security grounds - which is what he claims." |
| BAE has always denied claims that it set up a £60m "slush fund" to secure the al-Yamamah deal in the 1980s. | BAE has always denied claims that it set up a £60m "slush fund" to secure the al-Yamamah deal in the 1980s. |
| The government says the investigation was dropped because it threatened national security, by damaging relations with Saudi Arabia - seen a key strategic ally in the so-called "war on terror". | The government says the investigation was dropped because it threatened national security, by damaging relations with Saudi Arabia - seen a key strategic ally in the so-called "war on terror". |
| Anti-bribery law | Anti-bribery law |
| It has also argued that there were doubts about whether a successful prosecution could be brought, as many of the allegations pre-dated 2001, when an anti-bribery convention was incorporated into British law. | It has also argued that there were doubts about whether a successful prosecution could be brought, as many of the allegations pre-dated 2001, when an anti-bribery convention was incorporated into British law. |
| But the decision was announced weeks after reports that the Saudis were threatening to pull out of a deal to buy 72 Eurofighter jets from BAE - threatening thousands of British jobs. | But the decision was announced weeks after reports that the Saudis were threatening to pull out of a deal to buy 72 Eurofighter jets from BAE - threatening thousands of British jobs. |
| There were fears a Eurofighter deal would be lost | There were fears a Eurofighter deal would be lost |
| The Lib Dems say the government was effectively blackmailed into dropping the probe by the Saudis. | The Lib Dems say the government was effectively blackmailed into dropping the probe by the Saudis. |
| Dropping a bribery fraud for commercial reasons would be against the rules drawn up by the anti-bribery convention drawn up by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). | Dropping a bribery fraud for commercial reasons would be against the rules drawn up by the anti-bribery convention drawn up by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). |
| On Thursday the Guardian reported that Lord Goldsmith had changed his mind about whether there was enough evidence to bring charges against BAE, following pressure from Downing Street. | On Thursday the Guardian reported that Lord Goldsmith had changed his mind about whether there was enough evidence to bring charges against BAE, following pressure from Downing Street. |
| But in a statement Lord Goldsmith told the BBC the decision had come from the Serious Fraud Office, which concluded that any investigation would jeopardise national security. | But in a statement Lord Goldsmith told the BBC the decision had come from the Serious Fraud Office, which concluded that any investigation would jeopardise national security. |
| Lord Goldsmith also told the Financial Times that, if the investigation had been continued, senior Saudi royals would have been needed as essential witnesses - and he judged that it would be unrealistic to expect them to submit to questioning. | Lord Goldsmith also told the Financial Times that, if the investigation had been continued, senior Saudi royals would have been needed as essential witnesses - and he judged that it would be unrealistic to expect them to submit to questioning. |