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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Blair challenges SNP over bomber | Blair challenges SNP over bomber |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Tony Blair has accused the Scottish Executive of failing to take the initiative in the row over the fate of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi. | Tony Blair has accused the Scottish Executive of failing to take the initiative in the row over the fate of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi. |
| The prime minister made the accusation to the House of Commons in response to a question from the SNP's Westminster leader Angus Robertson. | The prime minister made the accusation to the House of Commons in response to a question from the SNP's Westminster leader Angus Robertson. |
| Mr Blair claimed Alex Salmond's office failed to contact Downing Street with their initial concerns on the issue. | Mr Blair claimed Alex Salmond's office failed to contact Downing Street with their initial concerns on the issue. |
| The Libyan is serving life for killing 270 people in the 1988 Pan Am bombing. | The Libyan is serving life for killing 270 people in the 1988 Pan Am bombing. |
| He was tried under Scottish law at a specially convened court at Camp Zeist, in the Netherlands, and is currently held in Gateside Prison in Greenock, near Glasgow. | |
| The row erupted last week after it emerged that the UK Government had signed a memorandum of understanding on 29 May with Libya covering prisoner exchanges. | The row erupted last week after it emerged that the UK Government had signed a memorandum of understanding on 29 May with Libya covering prisoner exchanges. |
| Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond had claimed the deal could allow al-Megrahi to serve the remainder of his sentence in Libya, and he had protested to Tony Blair about a lack of consultation with the executive. | Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond had claimed the deal could allow al-Megrahi to serve the remainder of his sentence in Libya, and he had protested to Tony Blair about a lack of consultation with the executive. |
| However, the UK Government had insisted the document did not cover al-Megrahi's case and that no deal had been signed over his future. | However, the UK Government had insisted the document did not cover al-Megrahi's case and that no deal had been signed over his future. |
| Demanded clarification | Demanded clarification |
| Mr Blair, who has yet to contact Mr Salmond since he became first minister almost a month ago, criticised the executive over their handling of the issue. | Mr Blair, who has yet to contact Mr Salmond since he became first minister almost a month ago, criticised the executive over their handling of the issue. |
| He said: "Frankly all it would have required was an enquiry from the first minister's office and it would have been cleared up immediately. | He said: "Frankly all it would have required was an enquiry from the first minister's office and it would have been cleared up immediately. |
| "Instead of which we were subjected to a claim that we were trying to drive this through without consultation with the devolved government in Scotland and it simply is not correct.'' | "Instead of which we were subjected to a claim that we were trying to drive this through without consultation with the devolved government in Scotland and it simply is not correct.'' |
| The SNP hit back, accusing the prime minister of being "defensive, in denial and ill-informed". | The SNP hit back, accusing the prime minister of being "defensive, in denial and ill-informed". |