Warnings As 'Thundersnow' Hits Parts Of UK

Parts of the UK are experiencing snow and icy conditions as commuters are warned to expect travel disruption today.

The Met Office issued an amber "be prepared" warning across central and southern Scotland, with Wales, Northern Ireland and much of England also on alert.

Network Rail suspended four train routes in advance of snow, while the AA warned drivers to be aware of "treacherous conditions".

In Wales a rare phenomenon called 'thundersnow' reportedly caused problems overnight, with warnings of more bad weather on the way.

Snow alerts cover much of the UK on Wednesday

Thundersnow occurs when thunder and lighting combine with a snowstorm and usually appears in late winter.

Sky News weather forecaster Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "The next 48 hours could see treacherous driving conditions for most of the UK and Ireland with the risk of ice and snow and then severe gales.

Video: Sky News UK Weather Update

"Heavy snow will fall through the Central Belt, Fife and Perth and Kinross, with 10cm (4ins) or more over the highest ground.

"Elsewhere, a covering of snow is possible, even over the higher ground in southern England, whilst 2-5cm (2ins) is likely above 100m (330ft)."

The warnings follow fierce storms last week which left 120,000 homes without power in Scotland.

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1. Gallery: Amber Alert For Snow For Britain

   The view from Defynnog after heavy snow in the Brecon Beacons National Park, south Wales

2015. More than 100 schools and nurseries have been shut and many roads closed as snow and wintry weather swept across the UK and Ireland

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22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Blair: Sorry Over IRA Fugitive Letter Blunder

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Video: Blair Sorry Over IRA Letter Blunder

Tony Blair has said the Northern Ireland peace process would have collapsed if he had not agreed to send "letters of comfort" to IRA terror suspects.

The former prime minister has told the Northern Ireland Select Committee the controversial distribution of the letters to so-called "on the runs", stating they were no longer wanted for past crimes, were not an "amnesty" and were "not secret".

He "defended completely" agreeing to the controversial letters and said an agreement on how to treat those wanted for terrorist crimes during the troubles "was critical to the peace process" and "became fundamental".

The case against John Downey collapsed

Mr Blair told MPs that had he not agreed to send the letters then Sinn Fein would have walked away from the Good Friday Agreement.

He said: "Without having done that we would not have a Northern Ireland peace process."

1/12

1. Gallery: Hyde Park Bombing: July 1982

   A police forensic officer examines the remains of the IRA car which contained the Hyde Park bomb

Images of dead horses and wrecked cars added to the shock for people reeling from the human cost of the atrocity

]]>

Wrecked cars are removed from the scene

]]>

The flag-draped coffin carrying Lt Anthony Daly, the Blues and Royals officer killed in the bombing along with three other soldiers

]]>

A memorial stone marks the location of the 1982 bombing

]]>

The letters from the Police Service of Northern Ireland sparked uproar last year when it resulted in the collapse of the Hyde Park bomb trial at the Old Bailey.

John Downey, who denied murdering four soldiers in the 1982 bombing, had received a letter in error informing him he was no longer being pursued in Northern Ireland or elsewhere.

During his trial, it emerged that 187 people had received similar assurances - the majority of them republicans who had never been charged or who had been convicted but then escaped.

Mr Blair said the Downey letter had been a mistake and should not have been sent "if the scheme had been properly applied".

He accepted responsibility for not putting in place a proper procedure, which led to some fugitives being sent letters in error, and apologised to the people who had been affected.

Video: 'Downey Letter Was A Mistake'

However, he said he would not apologise for the letters sent to those wanted terrorist suspects who it was concluded by the authorities at the time should have received them.

Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, those convicted of terrorist offences were released from prison early but those who had gone "on the run" were not considered eligible.

In 2006, after an attempt to establish a formal scheme for "on the runs" failed, Mr Blair wrote to Gerry Adams outlining plans to resolve the issue, "expediting the existing administrative procedures".

The scheme had been reported publicly but victims' families said they felt "devastatingly let down" by the collapse of the Downey case - and Northern Ireland's First Minister threatened to resign.

MPs questioned Mr Blair's claim that had he not made the agreement "over on the runs" the peace process would have collapsed saying that Lord Mandelson, a former Northern Ireland Secretary, had told the committee the Good Friday Agreement was not at stake.

1/9

1. Gallery: IRA Suspect Amnesties: Key Players

   Following the Good Friday Agreement and the release of 400 loyalist and republican paramilitary prisoners, the question about what to do with on-the-run IRA suspects, wanted for crimes before April 10, 1998, continued to needle the Tony Blair Government

In 2006, Mr Blair wrote to Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams telling him the Government was working on a solution for dealing with the suspects in question

]]>

Mr Blair said that he agreed with the inquiry carried out by Lady Justice Hallet, which concluded that the letters were not an amnesty and that the scheme was lawful but called Mr Downey's letter a "catastrophic mistake".

And he urged the Government to tread with care in Northern Ireland because the situation was still difficult.

He told the committee: "I am saying to the people in Government now: 'You have inherited a peace process that worked so be careful with it because it's fragile still.'"

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Video: Blair Sorry Over IRA Letter Blunder

Tony Blair has said the Northern Ireland peace process would have collapsed if he had not agreed to send "letters of comfort" to IRA terror suspects.

The former prime minister has told the Northern Ireland Select Committee the controversial distribution of the letters to so-called "on the runs", stating they were no longer wanted for past crimes, were not an "amnesty" and were "not secret".

He "defended completely" agreeing to the controversial letters and said an agreement on how to treat those wanted for terrorist crimes during the troubles "was critical to the peace process" and "became fundamental".

The case against John Downey collapsed

Mr Blair told MPs that had he not agreed to send the letters then Sinn Fein would have walked away from the Good Friday Agreement.

He said: "Without having done that we would not have a Northern Ireland peace process."

1/12

1. Gallery: Hyde Park Bombing: July 1982

   A police forensic officer examines the remains of the IRA car which contained the Hyde Park bomb

Images of dead horses and wrecked cars added to the shock for people reeling from the human cost of the atrocity

]]>

Wrecked cars are removed from the scene

]]>

The flag-draped coffin carrying Lt Anthony Daly, the Blues and Royals officer killed in the bombing along with three other soldiers

]]>

A memorial stone marks the location of the 1982 bombing

]]>

The letters from the Police Service of Northern Ireland sparked uproar last year when it resulted in the collapse of the Hyde Park bomb trial at the Old Bailey.

John Downey, who denied murdering four soldiers in the 1982 bombing, had received a letter in error informing him he was no longer being pursued in Northern Ireland or elsewhere.

During his trial, it emerged that 187 people had received similar assurances - the majority of them republicans who had never been charged or who had been convicted but then escaped.

Mr Blair said the Downey letter had been a mistake and should not have been sent "if the scheme had been properly applied".

He accepted responsibility for not putting in place a proper procedure, which led to some fugitives being sent letters in error, and apologised to the people who had been affected.

Video: 'Downey Letter Was A Mistake'

However, he said he would not apologise for the letters sent to those wanted terrorist suspects who it was concluded by the authorities at the time should have received them.

Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, those convicted of terrorist offences were released from prison early but those who had gone "on the run" were not considered eligible.

In 2006, after an attempt to establish a formal scheme for "on the runs" failed, Mr Blair wrote to Gerry Adams outlining plans to resolve the issue, "expediting the existing administrative procedures".

The scheme had been reported publicly but victims' families said they felt "devastatingly let down" by the collapse of the Downey case - and Northern Ireland's First Minister threatened to resign.

MPs questioned Mr Blair's claim that had he not made the agreement "over on the runs" the peace process would have collapsed saying that Lord Mandelson, a former Northern Ireland Secretary, had told the committee the Good Friday Agreement was not at stake.

1/9

1. Gallery: IRA Suspect Amnesties: Key Players

   Following the Good Friday Agreement and the release of 400 loyalist and republican paramilitary prisoners, the question about what to do with on-the-run IRA suspects, wanted for crimes before April 10, 1998, continued to needle the Tony Blair Government

In 2006, Mr Blair wrote to Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams telling him the Government was working on a solution for dealing with the suspects in question

]]>

Mr Blair said that he agreed with the inquiry carried out by Lady Justice Hallet, which concluded that the letters were not an amnesty and that the scheme was lawful but called Mr Downey's letter a "catastrophic mistake".

And he urged the Government to tread with care in Northern Ireland because the situation was still difficult.

He told the committee: "I am saying to the people in Government now: 'You have inherited a peace process that worked so be careful with it because it's fragile still.'"

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22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Letters Of Comfort: 8 Things You Need To Know

Who are the "on the runs"?

Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement (1998), people convicted of paramilitary offences were released early from prison. The scheme did not apply to those who had not been charged or who had been convicted but escaped. Given that they could not return to the UK, they became known as "on the runs".

What are "letters of comfort"?

Sinn Fein thought fugitives should be allowed to return without fear of arrest but the British government's attempt to devise a formal scheme was opposed by Unionists and, ironically, by Sinn Fein because the arrangement would have included British soldiers. The solution was a letter informing "on the runs" they were no longer wanted.

How did the letters come about?

In 2000, Tony Blair asked Gerry Adams to provide names to be considered by the attorney general, police and director of public prosecution. In 2002, the attorney general warned the scheme could not become an amnesty. In 2006, Mr Blair wrote secretly to Mr Adams, outlining mechanisms to resolve the issue, "expediting the existing administrative procedures".

How did the scheme work?

In 2007, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) began reviewing the cases of those wanted in connection with terrorist offences to establish if there were grounds for arrest. Peter Hain MP, then Northern Ireland secretary, wanted the scheme kept secret but the PSNI prepared a media statement for use in the event of it leaking.

How did it become public?

In February 2014, John Downey went on trial, charged with killing four soldiers in the 1982 Hyde Park bombing. When he produced a letter, stating that he was not wanted by the PSNI or any other police force, the judge ruled that the Donegal man could not be prosecuted. It had been issued in error.

How many letters were issued?

Of the 288 names submitted for consideration, 156 people received a "letter of comfort" and 31 were informed in some other way that they were not wanted for questioning. Drew Harris, now Deputy Chief Constable of the PSNI, told the Northern Ireland Select Committee that 100 of the recipients are suspects in 300 murder cases.

What did the first inquiry find?

When Northern Ireland's First Minister, Peter Robinson, threatened to resign over the issue, David Cameron announced an inquiry. Lady Justice Hallet concluded that the letters were not an amnesty and the scheme had been lawful. But she found "significant systemic failures" in how it operated and branded Mr Downey's letter a "catastrophic mistake" by the PSNI.

What is the Northern Ireland Select Committee considering?

What is the background to, and origins of, the scheme, and what was its purpose and intended effect? Who constitutes an "on the run", and what are the legal implications of the scheme? What are the political implications of the scheme and were errors made?  What impact has it had on victims and relatives?

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ex-Footballer Carlisle 'Awake' After Lorry Crash

Former Premier League footballer Clarke Carlisle is awake in hospital, three weeks after he was injured in a collision with a lorry.

His wife, Gemma Carlisle, said on Twitter last night: "Thank you again for asking after Clarke. He's still in hospital but is getting better & stronger each day."

She was asked by another Twitter-user: "Is he awake yet Gemma? Hope he's well soon from a football fan."

Mrs Carlisle replied: "Yes."

The 35-year-old former Professional Footballers' Association chairman was seriously injured following the collision on the A64, near York, on 22 December and remains in a Leeds hospital.

North Yorkshire Police launched an investigation into the circumstances of the incident and appealed for witnesses.

Footballers, former clubs, organisations and charities have used social media to send messages hoping Carlisle makes a quick recovery.

The Metropolitan Police later confirmed that Carlisle was charged with failing to provide a sample on 20 December - days before his serious injuries - and is due to appear in court later this month.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Paris-Style Terror Attack Likely 'At Any Time'

The Home Secretary has warned that terrorists could attack the UK at any time and that Britain's armed forces could be deployed in the event of a Paris-style attack.

Theresa May added that the police and security services needed powers provided in the blocked Communications Data Bill to protect the public and save lives.

She insisted the legislation was not a bid to allow the Government to "snoop" on the content of emails but to allow the police and security services to find out who was contacting whom.

But her comments to MPs come days after Britain's most senior policeman said an attack on Britain is "unlikely".

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said he was confident the police and security services already have the powers needed to keep people safe.

Video: Terror: Is Britain Prepared?

In an exclusive interview with Sky News he said the public should remain calm.

"I don't think (an attack) is likely but I think we all know it's a possibility," he said.

"The threat level is severe and so therefore that means a terrorist attack is possible.

"We do our best together with the security services to make sure the terrorists don't succeed and that we keep people safe. To date, that's broadly what we've been able to achieve."

In a statement to the House of Commons, Ms May said: "This is not - as I have heard it said - 'letting the Government snoop on your emails'.

"It is allowing the police and the security services, under a tightly regulated and controlled regime, to find out the 'who, where, when and how' of a communication but not its content.

"(This would allow police to) prove and disprove alibis, identify associations between suspects, and tie suspects and victims to specific locations.

"It is too soon to say for certain, but it is highly probable that communications data was used in the Paris attacks to locate the suspects and establish the links between the two attacks.

"Quite simply ... if we want the police and the security services to protect the public and save lives, they need this capability."

Two days ago David Cameron said that, to help the security serivces monitor terrorist communications, he would move to ban encrypted messaging services such as WhatsApp and iMessage if he wins the general election in May.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Letters Of Comfort: 8 Things You Need To Know

Who are the "on the runs"?

Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement (1998), people convicted of paramilitary offences were released early from prison. The scheme did not apply to those who had not been charged or who had been convicted but escaped. Given that they could not return to the UK, they became known as "on the runs".

What are "letters of comfort"?

Sinn Fein thought fugitives should be allowed to return without fear of arrest but the British government's attempt to devise a formal scheme was opposed by Unionists and, ironically, by Sinn Fein because the arrangement would have included British soldiers. The solution was a letter informing "on the runs" they were no longer wanted.

How did the letters come about?

In 2000, Tony Blair asked Gerry Adams to provide names to be considered by the attorney general, police and director of public prosecution. In 2002, the attorney general warned the scheme could not become an amnesty. In 2006, Mr Blair wrote secretly to Mr Adams, outlining mechanisms to resolve the issue, "expediting the existing administrative procedures".

How did the scheme work?

In 2007, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) began reviewing the cases of those wanted in connection with terrorist offences to establish if there were grounds for arrest. Peter Hain MP, then Northern Ireland secretary, wanted the scheme kept secret but the PSNI prepared a media statement for use in the event of it leaking.

How did it become public?

In February 2014, John Downey went on trial, charged with killing four soldiers in the 1982 Hyde Park bombing. When he produced a letter, stating that he was not wanted by the PSNI or any other police force, the judge ruled that the Donegal man could not be prosecuted. It had been issued in error.

How many letters were issued?

Of the 288 names submitted for consideration, 156 people received a "letter of comfort" and 31 were informed in some other way that they were not wanted for questioning. Drew Harris, now Deputy Chief Constable of the PSNI, told the Northern Ireland Select Committee that 100 of the recipients are suspects in 300 murder cases.

What did the first inquiry find?

When Northern Ireland's First Minister, Peter Robinson, threatened to resign over the issue, David Cameron announced an inquiry. Lady Justice Hallet concluded that the letters were not an amnesty and the scheme had been lawful. But she found "significant systemic failures" in how it operated and branded Mr Downey's letter a "catastrophic mistake" by the PSNI.

What is the Northern Ireland Select Committee considering?

What is the background to, and origins of, the scheme, and what was its purpose and intended effect? Who constitutes an "on the run", and what are the legal implications of the scheme? What are the political implications of the scheme and were errors made?  What impact has it had on victims and relatives?

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sellafield Clean-Up Contract To Be Torn Up

A consortium is to be stripped of its contract to clean up western Europe's largest nuclear waste site at Sellafield following criticism of its performance.

Nuclear Management Partners (NMP), made up of US engineering group URS, British firm AMEC and French energy firm AREVA, was awarded an extension to its deal in 2013 despite accusations of delays and cost over-runs.

But the Government confirmed NMP, which employs 10,000 workers, will have its contract terminated.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) will instead assume responsibility for the work to allow a "simplifying" of its relationship with the Sellafield project.

The cost of making the site, on the Cumbrian coast, safe has been put at almost £80bn over 120 years.

Sellafield was used in the 1950s to make plutonium for nuclear weapons before the country's first nuclear power station was built there.

NMP was handed a 17-year contract worth £9bn in 2008.

Energy secretary Ed Davey said: "Sellafield is the biggest and most complex nuclear site in Europe, so it's right that we keep the way it's being managed under constant review.

"We have seen great examples of how this approach can work with Crossrail and the Olympics - and I'm confident we'll see
similar results at Sellafield."

Amec said the NMP contract would be terminated at the end of 2016, adding that the NDA had confirmed it was not performance-related.

Its statement said: "It is vital that the lessons learned and the progress made since NMP were awarded the contract in 2008 should not be wasted.

"NMP has to date generated £650m of efficiency savings and met 96% of its targets last year while Sellafield's safety performance is now the best ever."

Gary Smith, national officer of the GMB, questioned the Government's role in the contract process.

He said: "We believe NDA wanted to terminate the contract in 2013 following a report it commissioned, but was overruled by ministers.

"Over £2bn has been spent with NMP since they extended the contract.

"Who is going to be held to account for extending the contract? GMB members, the community and taxpayers need to know."

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Inflation At Joint Lowest Level On Record

The annual rate of inflation has hit a 15-year low as oil costs continue to fall and supermarkets engage in a price war.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) measured consumer price inflation (CPI) at 0.5% in December - its joint lowest level on record - slowing from a rate of 1% in the previous month.

The figure represents a further easing in the cost of living as wage growth is boosting consumer spending power and easily outpacing rises in costs.

The ONS said falling petrol prices and lower gas and electricity bills compared with a year earlier were the biggest factors pushing inflation down last month.

The cost of Brent crude is currently at six-year lows - trading on Tuesday at $45-per-barrel.

Video: Sub-£1 Petrol Boss Denies Gimmick

It represents a fall of more than half since last summer on a supply glut and fears for world economic health.

Flat household gas and electricity tariffs over the month - compared to a period last year when they were raised sharply - also made a major contribution to the drop in CPI.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages were 1.7% cheaper in December than the same month a year ago - driven by the intense price war between the major supermarkets under pressure from discounters Aldi and Lidl.

Core vegetable costs were over 7% lower.

Motor fuels fell 10.5% year on year with the price of a litre of petrol tumbling 13.6p between December 2013 and last month, with diesel 15p lower.

The plunge in CPI to below 1% triggers a letter of explanation from Bank of England governor Mark Carney to George Osborne because it is more than 1% off the Bank's 2% inflation target.

Video: Chancellor Welcomes Inflation Drop

But the Chancellor is unlikely to be worried that, ahead of May's election, prices are falling following a tough six years for voters in the wake of the financial crisis.

Price growth could ease further this month as energy firms begin to cut standard tariffs - with no sign of a rebound in oil and gas costs.

The Bank had previously said it expected CPI to fall below 1% and remain there for months to come.

But the sharpness of the decline brings the UK uncomfortably close to the scenario in the eurozone, where there are fears of a damaging deflationary spiral after inflation fell to -0.2%.

Deflation, which dogged Japan for more than 25 years, is seen as dangerous economically because consumers and businesses hold off on purchases on hopes goods and services will be cheaper in future.

Mr Osborne said: "Inflation is at its lowest level in modern times.

Video: Will Inflation Drop Help Consumers?

"We have family budgets going further and the economic recovery starting to be widely felt.

"We will always remain vigilant that we have lower inflation for the right reasons and today is yet further proof our long term plan is working."

Shadow Treasury minister Shabana Mahmood said: "Plummeting global oil prices are the reason why the rate of inflation is falling here in Britain.

"But wages continue to be sluggish and the squeeze on living standards since 2010 means working people are £1,600 a year worse off under this government."

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Snow And Gales Threaten Chaos Across UK

The next 48 hours could see treacherous driving conditions for most of the UK and Ireland with the risk of ice and snow and then severe gales.

Through Tuesday night and into Wednesday, it'll be cold with showers falling as hail, sleet and snow quite widely, settling across the hills and mountains of the north, but also accumulating at lower levels here.

So by Wednesday morning, untreated roads of Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Republic, northern England and the north of Wales could see ice and snow, which could cause disruption to travel.

Around four inches (10cm) or more is likely to accumulate on the highest ground.

Further south, the snow is likely to be mostly over the high ground, but a slight covering is possible at lower levels, especially across the moors of south-west England close to the Bristol Channel and through the Thames Valley area.

Icy stretches will also be a widespread problem.

The wintry showers will tend to ease through Wednesday morning, leaving most places dry and sunny for a while, before it turns increasingly wet and very windy from the west.

A deepening area of low pressure will spread heavy rain eastwards across most parts through the day, with snow across Scotland.

The rain will clear through quite quickly, but the main concern will be the strengthening winds.

During the second half of Wednesday and overnight into Thursday, gusts in excess of 70mph are likely in the north, especially across Northern Ireland and Scotland.

To the south of the system, gales or severe gales are expected, with gusts quite widely up to 65mph.

The strong and gusty winds are likely to cause disruption to travel on Thursday morning, with potential damage to power lines and structural damage.

Very large waves could also cause dangerous conditions around coastal areas.

But this low pressure system looks likely to clear eventually to the North East through Thursday night - which should bring a welcome easing of the high winds.

22.11 | 0 komentar | Read More

Blair: Sorry Over IRA Fugitive Letter Blunder

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

Tony Blair has said the Northern Ireland peace process would have collapsed if he had not agreed to send "letters of comfort" to IRA terror suspects.

The former prime minister has told the Northern Ireland Select Committee the controversial distribution of the letters to so-called "on the runs", stating they were no longer wanted for past crimes, were not an "amnesty" and were "not secret".

He "defended completely" agreeing to the controversial letters and said an agreement on how to treat those wanted for terrorist crimes during the troubles "was critical to the peace process" and "became fundamental".

The case against John Downey collapsed

Mr Blair told MPs that had he not agreed to send the letters then Sinn Fein would have walked away from the Good Friday Agreement.

He said: "Without having done that we would not have a Northern Ireland peace process."

1/12

1. Gallery: Hyde Park Bombing: July 1982

   A police forensic officer examines the remains of the IRA car which contained the Hyde Park bomb

Images of dead horses and wrecked cars added to the shock for people reeling from the human cost of the atrocity

]]>

Wrecked cars are removed from the scene

]]>

The flag-draped coffin carrying Lt Anthony Daly, the Blues and Royals officer killed in the bombing along with three other soldiers

]]>

A memorial stone marks the location of the 1982 bombing

]]>

The letters from the Police Service of Northern Ireland sparked uproar last year when it resulted in the collapse of the Hyde Park bomb trial at the Old Bailey.

John Downey, who denied murdering four soldiers in the 1982 bombing, had received a letter in error informing him he was no longer being pursued in Northern Ireland or elsewhere.

During his trial, it emerged that 187 people had received similar assurances - the majority of them republicans who had never been charged or who had been convicted but then escaped.

Mr Blair said the Downey letter had been a mistake and should not have been sent "if the scheme had been properly applied".

He accepted responsibility for not putting in place a proper procedure, which led to some fugitives being sent letters in error, and apologised to the people who had been affected.

However, he said he would not apologise for the letters sent to those wanted terrorist suspects who it was concluded by the authorities at the time should have received them.

1/9

1. Gallery: IRA Suspect Amnesties: Key Players

   Following the Good Friday Agreement and the release of 400 loyalist and republican paramilitary prisoners, the question about what to do with on-the-run IRA suspects, wanted for crimes before April 10, 1998, continued to needle the Tony Blair Government

In 2006, Mr Blair wrote to Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams telling him the Government was working on a solution for dealing with the suspects in question

]]>

Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, those convicted of terrorist offences were released from prison early but those who had gone "on the run" were not considered eligible.

In 2006, after an attempt to establish a formal scheme for "on the runs" failed, Mr Blair wrote to Gerry Adams outlining plans to resolve the issue, "expediting the existing administrative procedures".

The scheme had been reported publicly but victims' families said they felt "devastatingly let down" by the collapse of the Downey case - and Northern Ireland's First Minister threatened to resign.

MPs questioned Mr Blair's claim that had he not made the agreement "over on the runs" the peace process would have collapsed saying that Lord Mandelson, a former Northern Ireland Secretary, had told the committee the Good Friday Agreement was not at stake.

Mr Blair said that he agreed with the inquiry carried out by Lady Justice Hallet, which concluded that the letters were not an amnesty and that the scheme was lawful but called Mr Downey's letter a "catastrophic mistake".

He urged: "I am saying to the people in Government now: 'You have inherited a peace process that worked so be careful with it because it's fragile still.'"

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5. Snow And Gales Threaten Chaos Across UK

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

Tony Blair has said the Northern Ireland peace process would have collapsed if he had not agreed to send "letters of comfort" to IRA terror suspects.

The former prime minister has told the Northern Ireland Select Committee the controversial distribution of the letters to so-called "on the runs", stating they were no longer wanted for past crimes, were not an "amnesty" and were "not secret".

He "defended completely" agreeing to the controversial letters and said an agreement on how to treat those wanted for terrorist crimes during the troubles "was critical to the peace process" and "became fundamental".

The case against John Downey collapsed

Mr Blair told MPs that had he not agreed to send the letters then Sinn Fein would have walked away from the Good Friday Agreement.

He said: "Without having done that we would not have a Northern Ireland peace process."

1/12

1. Gallery: Hyde Park Bombing: July 1982

   A police forensic officer examines the remains of the IRA car which contained the Hyde Park bomb

Images of dead horses and wrecked cars added to the shock for people reeling from the human cost of the atrocity

]]>

Wrecked cars are removed from the scene

]]>

The flag-draped coffin carrying Lt Anthony Daly, the Blues and Royals officer killed in the bombing along with three other soldiers

]]>

A memorial stone marks the location of the 1982 bombing

]]>

The letters from the Police Service of Northern Ireland sparked uproar last year when it resulted in the collapse of the Hyde Park bomb trial at the Old Bailey.

John Downey, who denied murdering four soldiers in the 1982 bombing, had received a letter in error informing him he was no longer being pursued in Northern Ireland or elsewhere.

During his trial, it emerged that 187 people had received similar assurances - the majority of them republicans who had never been charged or who had been convicted but then escaped.

Mr Blair said the Downey letter had been a mistake and should not have been sent "if the scheme had been properly applied".

He accepted responsibility for not putting in place a proper procedure, which led to some fugitives being sent letters in error, and apologised to the people who had been affected.

However, he said he would not apologise for the letters sent to those wanted terrorist suspects who it was concluded by the authorities at the time should have received them.

1/9

1. Gallery: IRA Suspect Amnesties: Key Players

   Following the Good Friday Agreement and the release of 400 loyalist and republican paramilitary prisoners, the question about what to do with on-the-run IRA suspects, wanted for crimes before April 10, 1998, continued to needle the Tony Blair Government

In 2006, Mr Blair wrote to Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams telling him the Government was working on a solution for dealing with the suspects in question

]]>

Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, those convicted of terrorist offences were released from prison early but those who had gone "on the run" were not considered eligible.

In 2006, after an attempt to establish a formal scheme for "on the runs" failed, Mr Blair wrote to Gerry Adams outlining plans to resolve the issue, "expediting the existing administrative procedures".

The scheme had been reported publicly but victims' families said they felt "devastatingly let down" by the collapse of the Downey case - and Northern Ireland's First Minister threatened to resign.

MPs questioned Mr Blair's claim that had he not made the agreement "over on the runs" the peace process would have collapsed saying that Lord Mandelson, a former Northern Ireland Secretary, had told the committee the Good Friday Agreement was not at stake.

Mr Blair said that he agreed with the inquiry carried out by Lady Justice Hallet, which concluded that the letters were not an amnesty and that the scheme was lawful but called Mr Downey's letter a "catastrophic mistake".

He urged: "I am saying to the people in Government now: 'You have inherited a peace process that worked so be careful with it because it's fragile still.'"

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