Straw was lobbied by BP over Libya
By Liz Stephens
Justice secretary Jack Straw was lobbied by BP over Britain’s transfer agreement with Libya it was revealed today.
According to reports in The Times Mr Straw took two telephone calls from former MI6 agent Sir Mark Allen, a consultant for BP, in 2007. Sir Mark had previously been instrumental in negotiations with Libya over nuclear proliferation.
The calls were received just days before Mr Straw abandoned a clause to exclude the Lockerbie bomber from the prisoner transfer agreement.
Weeks later, Mr Straw wrote to Scottish justice secretary Kenny MacAskill to say that Megrahi was no longer excluded from the agreement.
“The wider negotiations with the Libyans are reaching a critical stage and in view of the overwhelming interests for the United Kingdom I have agreed that in this instance the PTA should be in the standard form and not mention any individual,” he said.
BP had signed a $900 million oil exploration contract with Libya earlier that year.
A spokesman for the Justice department confirmed yesterday: “BP wanted to make its case because they were concerned that not making progress might have an effect on their deal with Libya.”
Last week BP denied making any representations to the government over prisoner transfer deal. The company also rejected suggestions that Libya was putting pressure on its operations over the matter of Megrahi.
However, yesterday a BP spokesman said: “BP did bring to the attention of the government in late 2007 our concerns about the slow progress in concluding a PTA with Libya.
“Like many others we were aware that delay might have negative consequences for UK commercial interests including ratification of BP’s exploration agreement.
“We did not press for any particular kind of PTA, we were just hoping for an end to the delays concluding it.”
On Wednesday, the prime minister said there had been “no conspiracy, no cover-up, no double-dealing, no deal on oil, no attempt to instruct Scottish ministers, no private assurances by me to Colonel Gaddafi”.
The government is facing intense public scrutiny at home and pressure from the US government to reveal any links between trade deals with Libya and the eventual release of the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds last month.
