Lord Mandelson has infuriated families of the Lockerbie bombing victims by attending a shooting party with Colonel Gaddafi's son. The Business Secretary and Saif Gaddafi were guest of billionaire financier Lord Rothschild and his son Nat at the family mansion in Buckinghamshire. In a bizarre confirmation of Labour's close links to the Libyan regime, Cherie Blair was also present. The gathering came after the controversial release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Al Megrahi, who was flown home by saif Gaddafi to a hero's welcome in August.
Megrahi, who has prostrate cancer, was released from a Scottish jail after being given just three months to live. His continued survival, however, more than three months later has renewed claims that his release was cynically engineered to placate the Gaddafi regime and protect lucrative oil contracts with Tripoli.
Details of the shooting party at Lord Rothschild's French chateau-style Waddesdon Manor estate, near Aylesbury, are revealsed today by Spectator magazine columnist Chares Moore. He writes: 'A shoot was taking place, though not all the party were shooting. As well as Lord rothschild and his son Nat, the unofficial deputy prime minister, Lord Mandelson, was there and also Lord Rothschilds's country neighbour, Cheri Blair, Neither of them picked up a gun. Various young friends of of Nat with double-barrelled or European princely names were shooting. But the keenest shot was Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the Libyan dictator.'
The revelations raised new questions over Lord Mandelson's judgment, three months after he dined with Saif gaddafi at Lord Rothchilds estate in Corfu just days before Megrahi's release was announced. frank Duggan, president of Victims of Pan Am 103 said: "I dont think it's appropriate at all but I can't say I am very surprised. The release of Megrahi was an incredible victory for Libya and Saif Gaddafi engineered the whole thing to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Libyan revolution. The British and the Scottish Government fell into that trap."
He accused senior ministers of feathering the nests of British businesses. Lord Mandelson was an outspoken supporter of closer trade links with Libya during his time as EU Trade Commissioner. "Gaddafi was openly boasting that there was a commercial component and that the oil companies were involved in the deal," Mr Duggan said. "My belief is that Megrahi was never as sick as they said he was."
Tory MP Greg Hands said: "This extraordinary revelation, if true, raises serious questions for Peter Mandelson. Once again he is mixing up his private associations and his public duties. For years, he has been at the centre of Britain's relationship with Libya. People will question why the First Secretary thinks it is appropriate to enjoy country house weekends with the man who escorted Megrahi home to a hero's welcome in Libya."
The sight of the deputy prime minister in all but name and Mrs Blair, newly hob-nobbing with a band of billionaires and the Faddafi family, also has the potential to undermine Labour's charge that David Cameron's Tories are the party of toffs. Lord Mandelson's spokesman issued a brief statement implying that he was rather more embarrassed about being exposed attending a game shoot - wildy unpopular with Labour MP's - than he was about his relations with the regime behind the Lockerbie atrocity. He Said: "We do not offer a running commentary on Peter Mandelson's social engagements but we can confirm he's never taken part in a pheasant shoot and never will."
A source close to the Business Secretary confirmed he has not shame about spending time with the Libyan dicator's son. "Peter always said he'd be happy to meet Saif Gaddafi again." Mrs Blairs presence is also curious since she would not be considered a natrual at a phesant shoot. Mrs Blair is an outspoken oponent of blood sports and is widely credited with persuading her husband Tony to bow to pressure from Labour backbenchers to ban hunting with dogs.
Article taken from the Daily mail 26/11/2009Given Peter Mandelson's past track record for corruption, is it really any surprise that he moves in, shall we say, 'less savoury' circles and cohorts with the likes of Saif Gaddafi? The only thing that is surprising is that this corrupt and vile man, went on to be a European commisioner after, not one, but two resignations from Tony Blairs cabinet for what amounted to corrupt behaviour. Anyone would be forgiven for thinking that once would have been enough, and after the first time that Mandelson was caught with his piggy snout in the trough, he would have been put out to grass, or at the very least; would have recoiled in shame and kept a low profile for the rest of his shadowy and tainted carreer in the back benches.
But no! It seems that Peter Mandelson had all the necessary qualification to go on and become an EU Commisioner. The EU just loves corruption, after all, the whole European Union was built upon it, and no doubt mandelson would have felt right at home riding the EU gravy train and feeding from the same but greatly enlarged trough as all the other corrupt piggies in Europe; in a feeding frenzy that would make an attack of piranhas seem tame by comparison. Of course, when you have an endless pit of money, all paid for by unsuspecting and gullible European citizens, most of whom probably don't have the first clue that they are even paying money, let alone know where the money is going if they do; then the likes of Mandelson will continue to get their jollies-off on trips around the world with champagne dinners and 5-star hospitality to match at every turn. Meanwhile, the peasants that fund their lavish lifestyle, have to endure the hardest elite-engineered recession since the 1920's with many being made jobless and/or homeless through no fault of their own. Let them eat cake!