48 hours to go: Iraq, the issue that won't go away
Theindependent: Tony Blair's hopes of keeping Iraq off the election agenda were dashed yesterday by the killing of the 50th British soldier in hostile action since the conflict began two years ago, renewed violence on the streets and accusations from the brother of the murdered British hostage Ken Bigley.
Writing in The Independent Paul Bigley claims Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, privately urged him to issue a public apology to Mr Blair to avoid criticism of the Government damaging the Prime Minister's bid for a third election victory.
Mr Straw, who was accompanied by a private secretary when the alleged conversation took place, denied last night that he had raised the election issue with Mr Bigley. But Mr Bigley insisted that he had a "vivid recollection" of the conversation, which he says took place after a memorial service for his brother in Liverpool last October.
Mr Bigley said he was backing Reg Keys, whose son died in Iraq, in his stand against Mr Blair in his Sedgefield constituency.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed yesterday that Anthony John Wakefield, 24, of the Coldstream Guards, died after being hit by shrapnel while on patrol near the southern town of Amarah at about midnight Iraqi time (9pm BST) on Sunday. Guardsman Wakefield, from Newcastle upon Tyne, who was married and had three children, is the first British soldier to die in hostile action in Iraq this year. His death takes to 50 the number of UK service personnel killed by hostile action since the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the 87th fatality of the overall British military operation.
Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Williams, commanding officer of 1st Battalion the Staffordshire Regiment, which is serving alongside the Coldstream Guards, said Guardsman Wakefield was acting as the "top cover sentry in the second of a two-vehicle patrol" at the time of the blast. Colonel Williams said: "What appears to have been an improvised explosive device detonated disabling the vehicle and injuring another soldier."
Mr Blair was at a campaign press conference when he was passed a note by his special adviser, Hillary Coffman, informing him of the soldier's death.
Anthony Wakefield's wife, Ann Toward, last night added to the pressure by blaming the Prime Minister for his death. Link to full
Writing in The Independent Paul Bigley claims Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, privately urged him to issue a public apology to Mr Blair to avoid criticism of the Government damaging the Prime Minister's bid for a third election victory.
Mr Straw, who was accompanied by a private secretary when the alleged conversation took place, denied last night that he had raised the election issue with Mr Bigley. But Mr Bigley insisted that he had a "vivid recollection" of the conversation, which he says took place after a memorial service for his brother in Liverpool last October.
Mr Bigley said he was backing Reg Keys, whose son died in Iraq, in his stand against Mr Blair in his Sedgefield constituency.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed yesterday that Anthony John Wakefield, 24, of the Coldstream Guards, died after being hit by shrapnel while on patrol near the southern town of Amarah at about midnight Iraqi time (9pm BST) on Sunday. Guardsman Wakefield, from Newcastle upon Tyne, who was married and had three children, is the first British soldier to die in hostile action in Iraq this year. His death takes to 50 the number of UK service personnel killed by hostile action since the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the 87th fatality of the overall British military operation.
Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Williams, commanding officer of 1st Battalion the Staffordshire Regiment, which is serving alongside the Coldstream Guards, said Guardsman Wakefield was acting as the "top cover sentry in the second of a two-vehicle patrol" at the time of the blast. Colonel Williams said: "What appears to have been an improvised explosive device detonated disabling the vehicle and injuring another soldier."
Mr Blair was at a campaign press conference when he was passed a note by his special adviser, Hillary Coffman, informing him of the soldier's death.
Anthony Wakefield's wife, Ann Toward, last night added to the pressure by blaming the Prime Minister for his death. Link to full
posted by exoplanet at 9:17 AM
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