Report: Blair in fighter talks with Saudis

Posted on: Sep. 27th, 2005 || Source: politics.guardian.co.uk | E-mail Article | Print Article

Report: Blair in fighter talks with Saudis

If Downing Street bows to today's reported Saudi demands for concessions in the hope of a Eurofighter sale worth up to £40bn, it will face dissent from the Foreign Office, the Serious Fraud Office, and British Airways. There will also be anger from such expatriate victims of Saudi behaviour as Ron Jones, who is trying to sue the regime for falsely imprisoning and torturing him.

Whitehall sources point to the two Powell brothers, who they claim are enthusiasts for the deal. Jonathan Powell, Tony Blair's chief of staff, is said to be pro-Saudi. His brother Charles, now Lord Powell, also has access to Downing Street. He was Margaret Thatcher's foreign affairs adviser, and is now on BAE's payroll as a consultant, according to the current register of Lords' interests. BAE stands to make massive sums from a deal to sell the Eurofighter Typhoon to Riyadh.

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