Charles Kennedy, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has responded to the allegations by former Cabinet Minister, Clare Short, that British intelligence was involved in bugging the UN Secretary General.
Mr Kennedy said:
"The Prime Minister must come clean. He must reassure the British people that his Government was not involved in spying on Kofi Annan in the run up to the Iraq war.
"Mr Blair cannot use the security services as a shield to duck this question. His administration made a virtue of releasing intelligence information when it suited him to make the case for war. He can't have it both ways.
"We are talking here about bugging the Secretary General of the United Nations, we are not talking about security operations involving foreign terrorists. The two are not remotely the same and the Prime Minister should not attempt to suggest they are.
"The Prime Minister must clarify this situation urgently."
ENDS
Return to February Press Releases.
Return to Press Releases.