LOCKERBIEGATE : LIFE'S BASIC PRINCIPLE

The questions about Lockerbiegate go on and on, in Scotland as well as in Westminster, and now in Libya as well. Who is responsible for what ? All defensive explanations start with: "I did not ......" The hallowed, basic principle, which is enshrined in law, in life in general, in daily business life, and in political life as well, is generally summarised as follows:

"Delegation is not abdication"

Managing Directors in business companies, even Owners of football clubs, Prime Ministers, all those who delegate their responsibilities to others in their chain of responsibility, cannot in doing this, escape the initial responsibility for which they were appointed originally. They are held to be responsible in law and are judged on the final outcome of events. He who delegates can sack traitors or those who act beyond the limits of what they were delegated to do, but he cannot escape from the ultimate responsibilities inherent in the position he holds.

Saif al-Islam, the son of Colonel Gaddafi, stated clearly in an interview on television that Gordon Brown took no part in the discussions concerning the early release of al-Megrahi, adding that these negotiations were undertaken at a lower diplomatic level.

The PanAm crash at Lockerbie happened in 1988. Tony Blair became Prime Minister in 1997, and Gordon Brown became Prime Minister after the resignation of Tony Blair on June 27, 2007. This problem has been simmering for more than twenty years. Tony Blair visited Libya a few times, but has Gordon Brown ever made a visit ? Taking on a problem like this after so long is not easy.