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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| PM 'must break Lockerbie silence' | PM 'must break Lockerbie silence' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown is facing growing pressure to break his silence on the release of the Lockerbie bomber. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown is facing growing pressure to break his silence on the release of the Lockerbie bomber. |
| Shadow Scottish Secretary David Mundell said it was "staggering" that Mr Brown had not commented on Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill's decision. | Shadow Scottish Secretary David Mundell said it was "staggering" that Mr Brown had not commented on Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill's decision. |
| Mr Brown's spokesman has said the issue was a matter for Mr MacAskill. | Mr Brown's spokesman has said the issue was a matter for Mr MacAskill. |
| Meanwhile, Scotland's first minister said the Scottish Government was willing to publish all the documents it could on the decision-making process. | Meanwhile, Scotland's first minister said the Scottish Government was willing to publish all the documents it could on the decision-making process. |
| Terminally ill Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi was released after serving seven years and five months of his life sentence for the bombing of the Pan Am jet over Lockerbie in 1988, in which 270 people died. | Terminally ill Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi was released after serving seven years and five months of his life sentence for the bombing of the Pan Am jet over Lockerbie in 1988, in which 270 people died. |
| Mr MacAskill has been criticised for his decision since Megrahi's release on Thursday. | Mr MacAskill has been criticised for his decision since Megrahi's release on Thursday. |
| There have been attacks by rival parties in Scotland and condemnation from the US, with President Barack Obama and relatives of Americans killed in the bombing voicing their anger. | There have been attacks by rival parties in Scotland and condemnation from the US, with President Barack Obama and relatives of Americans killed in the bombing voicing their anger. |
| The minister made a statement defending his decision in an emergency session of the Scottish Parliament on Monday and a debate will be held when parliament returns from summer recess at the start of September. | |
| Mr Brown has been criticised by the Tories and Liberal Democrats Paul Reynolds: UK faces backlash Ross Hawkins: PM's dilemma | Mr Brown has been criticised by the Tories and Liberal Democrats Paul Reynolds: UK faces backlash Ross Hawkins: PM's dilemma |
| Iain Gray, leader of the Scottish Labour Party, called on Mr MacAskill to "come clean" and publish the notes of his meeting with Megrahi in Greenock prison before the parliamentary debate. | |
| "He is duty bound to do so and there is nothing to stop him doing so," he said. | |
| "He has already misled Parliament claiming he was acting on advice from Jack Straw when he went to meet Megrahi. That is false. | |
| "I have spoken to Jack Straw and he has recommended all along that a prisoner should make representations in writing. There was never any need for Kenny MacAskill to go and see him. | |
| "Now we need to know what he said to Megrahi and what advice he got about such a meeting." | |
| The Scottish Government said it was seeking permission from interested parties to publish "all relevant information" regarding the Prisoner Transfer Agreement (PTA) with Libya ahead of the debate. | |
| It said a request already made to the UK government for permission to publish correspondence relating to the PTA had been denied. | |
| The Scottish Government said it was now repeating the request. | |
| It is not necessary for Gordon Brown to state his personal view Dr Elaine MurrayLabour MSP | |
| First Minister Alex Salmond told the BBC: "Kenny MacAskill indicated that we are going to publish whatever we can and you will see over the next few days the Scottish Government is willing to publish every significant matter as far as the decision-making is concerned." | |
| However, he would not be drawn on whether it was right or wrong for the prime minister to remain silent on the subject. | However, he would not be drawn on whether it was right or wrong for the prime minister to remain silent on the subject. |
| Mr Mundell told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme that Mr Brown had been "very profuse in his comments in the last few days about the English cricket team, about the courage they have shown on the pitch". | Mr Mundell told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme that Mr Brown had been "very profuse in his comments in the last few days about the English cricket team, about the courage they have shown on the pitch". |
| "It's about time he showed some courage and said what he thought, what he's going to do about our relationships with the United States, what he's going to do about our relationships with Libya," he said. | "It's about time he showed some courage and said what he thought, what he's going to do about our relationships with the United States, what he's going to do about our relationships with Libya," he said. |
| "As prime minister of the United Kingdom, that's what he should be commenting on and his silence is staggering." | "As prime minister of the United Kingdom, that's what he should be commenting on and his silence is staggering." |
| Shadow Defence Secretary Liam Fox branded Mr Brown "cowardly" for refusing to say whether he thought it was right to let Megrahi return home a free man. | Shadow Defence Secretary Liam Fox branded Mr Brown "cowardly" for refusing to say whether he thought it was right to let Megrahi return home a free man. |
| 'Absurd and damaging' | |
| Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said it was "absurd and damaging" for him to remain silent on the matter. | Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said it was "absurd and damaging" for him to remain silent on the matter. |
| But a spokesman for the prime minister insisted: "It was and it remains a decision for the Scottish justice secretary." | But a spokesman for the prime minister insisted: "It was and it remains a decision for the Scottish justice secretary." |
| The Labour MSP for Dumfries Elaine Murray refuted suggestions that Mr Brown was reluctant to give his views on the decision. | The Labour MSP for Dumfries Elaine Murray refuted suggestions that Mr Brown was reluctant to give his views on the decision. |
| Dr Murray said that while the prime minister was entitled to comment on the matter, there was no need for him to do so as it had been properly dealt with by the Labour leader in Scotland, Iain Gray. | Dr Murray said that while the prime minister was entitled to comment on the matter, there was no need for him to do so as it had been properly dealt with by the Labour leader in Scotland, Iain Gray. |
| "There may be foreign policy implications and Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Gordon Brown will deal with those implications," she said. | "There may be foreign policy implications and Foreign Secretary David Miliband and Gordon Brown will deal with those implications," she said. |
| "It is not necessary for him to state his personal view." | "It is not necessary for him to state his personal view." |