Labour’s handling of Megrahi’s release ‘was profoundly wrong’

In a statement to MPs, David Cameron said: “Insufficient consideration was given to the most basic question of all – was it really right for the British government to facilitate an appeal by the Libyans to the Scottish government in the case of an individual who was convicted of murdering 270 people, including 43 British citizens and 190 Americans and 19 other nationalities?

“That for me is the biggest lesson of this entire affair. For my part I repeat, I believe it was profoundly wrong.”

The Prime Minister said a review by Cabinet Secretary Gus O’Donnell did not justify calls for a new inquiry but provided further evidence it was a “flawed decision” by the Scottish Executive.

Mr Cameron quoted from a Foreign Office paper dated January 2009 which said: “We now need to go further and work actively but discreetly to ensure that Megrahi is transferred back to Libya under the PTA or failing that released on compassionate grounds.”

The Prime Minister said: “Frankly, this tells us something that was not made clear at the time. It goes further than the account that the former Prime Minister and the former Foreign Secretary gave.

“It is clear from these papers that the last government badly underestimated – and in fact failed seriously even to consider, except as an issue to be managed – the reaction both in Britain and in the United States to the release of Mr Megrahi, above all amongst many of the families who lost loved ones.”

He said the fact that Megrahi was now “living at liberty” in Tripoli, 18 months on, underlined his belief that the Scottish government’s decision was “profoundly wrong”.

“He was convicted of the biggest mass murder in British history, and in my view he should have died in jail. It was a bad decision, and the last government should have condemned it rather than going along with it.” Mr Camerson said he had commissioned the review during a visit to Washington last July, when there was “renewed controversy” around the decision, including calls for a UK inquiry.

“There were concerns being put forward, quite forcibly in America, that the whole release may have come about as a result of pressure by BP on the British government to pressure the Scottish government to make this happen.

“I don’t believe that’s true. And this report shows it’s not true. It was a decision taken by the Scottish government, the wrong decision, but their decision nevertheless.”

Replying to the Prime Minister’s statement, Labour leader Ed Miliband said: “The message of today’s report is that Megrahi’s release was not influenced by the UK Government.”

He added Sir Gus found the Labour government took “great effort not to communicate to the Scottish government its view”.

Mr Miliband said: “Sir Gus concludes Mr Megrahi’s release on compassionate grounds was a decision Scottish ministers alone could and did make.”

Tory former Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind said the last government “was up to its neck in this shoddy business” but Labour former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw accused the Prime Minister of putting a “gloss” on the report.

He said: “It (report) backs up the continued assertions made by the former Prime Minister, the former Foreign Secretary and myself that, as he has finally, through gritted teeth has admitted, that there was no pressure from BP on the Scottish Government, that we acted properly at all times.”