SO IS IT GORDON BROWN'S LOCKERBIE GATE ?

Suddenly yesterday, Sunday, secret documents were leaked to the press concerning the circumstances which led to the release of the Lockerbie Bomber, al-Megrahi.

The murky details are in fact as clear as mud !!! Alex Salmond, the Scottish First Minister, at first said they were against "early release". Jack Straw in the end did not oppose al-Megrahi being included in the P T A (Prisoner Transfer Agreement) with Libya. Finally everyone was happy and relaxed when al-Megrahi was released on compassionate grounds, because he only had three months to live !!!

So what happened next ? Colonel Kaddafi and the whole of Tripoli staged an exuberant celebration last Saturday evening to mark the release of al-Megrahi !!! Who can blame them ?

Jack Straw seems to have been in the thick of negotiations as Justice Secretary after the resignation of Tony Blair as Prime Minister and the nomination of Gordon Brown in his place. Whether Jack Straw acted unilaterally or not, is of little importance. Gordon Brown was Prime Minister and the release of al-Megrahi was a Government decision.

So what has Britain got out of all this ? An oil and gas exploration deal for B.P.. Britain has, however, lost face with its hitherto constant ally, the USA, and President Barrack Obama. It had been agreed that al-Megrahi would serve out his whole term of imprisonment of 27 years in Scotland.

Finally, this whole sorry tale is still not over and will drag on until questions are discussed in the next session of Parliament which starts on the 12th. of October. The Socialist Government and Gordon Brown in particular, will be remembered forever for the LOCKERBIE GATE saga, especially if al-Megrahi survives beyond the coming General Election !!!