Former diplomats' attack on Blair is off the Richter scale, says Cook By

[Classical_Liberal]

Former diplomats' attack on Blair is off the Richter scale, says Cook
By Colin Brown Deputy Political Editor

28 April 2004

Robin Cook delivers a fresh and devastating blow to Tony Blair today by claiming that serving British ambassadors support the 52 former diplomats who criticised the Prime Minister over his policy on the Middle East.

The former foreign secretary's remarks will infuriate Mr Blair, whose leadership was the subject of open speculation among Labour MPs last night following the backlash among his cabinet allies over his U-turn on the EU referendum.

Mr Cook, writing in The Independent, says it is inconceivable that agreement on a common text could have been reached among the former diplomats "without widespread sympathy for their views among the ambassadors who have replaced them".

Underlining the unprecedented importance of their letter, Mr Cook adds: "By the standards of diplomatic communiqués, their statement is off the Richter scale.".....

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=515996

[sushi]

1. It looks like Tony Bliar

is becoming very unpopular. Saw a great cartoon. Arabs queueing at the video store - the sign says "Kill Bill 2, Kill George, Kill Tony, Kill Silvio, Kill John."