DON'T BOTHER ME ABOUT OMAGH; I'M ON HOLIDAY - TONY BLAIR
Don't bother me about Omagh; I'm on holiday - Tony Blair
BY NIGEL MCDONAGH
'Memorial service should not interrupt break'
THE DIARIES of a former Downing Street aide have revealed how it was "a priority" that the British Prime Minister's holiday was not interrupted for an Omagh bombing memorial service.
The diaries contain a number of unflattering allegations against Mr Blair, according to British newspaper The Mail on Sunday-Lance Price, once the Prime Minister's deputy media adviser, included the embarrassing entry referring to Omagh in his forthcoming book. He has also been forced to amend three entries which would cause discomfort to Mr Blair.
But the original version has been obtained by The Mail on Sunday, which is serialising Price's candid account of life at Downing Street.
The book reveals how Mr Blair's leading aides repeatedly lied to the press and public.
Among its revelations, it talks of officials making it a "priority" that his summer holiday was not interrupted by a memorial service for the
victims of the 1998 Omagh bombing.
One key passage in the original, which talked of Mr Blair "rather relishing his first blooding as PM, sending the boys into action," when he ordered air strikes on Iraq in 1998, was changed to say the Prime Minister had "mixed emotions".
Another entry that had to be changed originally described how Mr Blair furiously attacked the "f***ing Welsh" when it appeared Labour might lose elections to the Welsh Assembly.
Tories have hit out at the British Government amid claims that Labour is attempting to censor the book.
Spokesman Chris Grayling said, "This is all part of the culture that surrounds Tony Blair.
"The Government is happy to dish the dirt on people it does not like but is quick to crack down on those who say something unflattering about them.
"They've always believed there is one rule for them and one for everyone else."
Downing Street has yet to comment on the publication.
BY NIGEL MCDONAGH
'Memorial service should not interrupt break'
THE DIARIES of a former Downing Street aide have revealed how it was "a priority" that the British Prime Minister's holiday was not interrupted for an Omagh bombing memorial service.
The diaries contain a number of unflattering allegations against Mr Blair, according to British newspaper The Mail on Sunday-Lance Price, once the Prime Minister's deputy media adviser, included the embarrassing entry referring to Omagh in his forthcoming book. He has also been forced to amend three entries which would cause discomfort to Mr Blair.
But the original version has been obtained by The Mail on Sunday, which is serialising Price's candid account of life at Downing Street.
The book reveals how Mr Blair's leading aides repeatedly lied to the press and public.
Among its revelations, it talks of officials making it a "priority" that his summer holiday was not interrupted by a memorial service for the
victims of the 1998 Omagh bombing.
One key passage in the original, which talked of Mr Blair "rather relishing his first blooding as PM, sending the boys into action," when he ordered air strikes on Iraq in 1998, was changed to say the Prime Minister had "mixed emotions".
Another entry that had to be changed originally described how Mr Blair furiously attacked the "f***ing Welsh" when it appeared Labour might lose elections to the Welsh Assembly.
Tories have hit out at the British Government amid claims that Labour is attempting to censor the book.
Spokesman Chris Grayling said, "This is all part of the culture that surrounds Tony Blair.
"The Government is happy to dish the dirt on people it does not like but is quick to crack down on those who say something unflattering about them.
"They've always believed there is one rule for them and one for everyone else."
Downing Street has yet to comment on the publication.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1831
Published Date: 22-Sep-05
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