“Bitterness” driving Short’s allegations
“Bitterness” drove Clare Short to allege that British spies bugged the office of Kofi Annan, secretary general of the United Nations, No 10’s former director of communications, Alastair Campbell, said yesterday.
Mr Campbell said the former international development secretary had been “mouthing off” and urged ministers not to “dance to her tune”.
Ms Short was a vociferous opponent of the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
Mr Campbell told London’s LBC News: “I think it’s very sad that people who have been in a position of influence and authority now behave in a way that just reveals a bitterness that is very, very deep.”
Mr Campbell said he was not going to waste “too much breath on her”.
Meanwhile, Ms Short has publicly attacked cabinet secretary Sir Andrew Turnball after he wrote a “threatening” letter to her demanding she refrain from giving any more interviews about the bugging allegations.
The letter read: “I have to admit to being extremely disappointed by your behaviour. I very much regret that you see fit to make claims which damage the interests of the United Kingdom.”
Ms Short said Sir Andrew threatened legal action by the Crown if she made further allegations about the Iraq war.
The Birmingham MP claims a smear campaign was underway to damage her integrity.
In The Sunday Telegraph, Ms Short denied claims she had any personal feud with the prime minister: “I haven’t got any personal vendetta against Blair but I think what he did in the series of deceits and the rush to war was indefensible.”
But transport minister Mike O’Brien begged to differ, claiming Ms Short was “indulging” in a series of damaging attacks on Mr Blair.
