Blair accused of appointing Scarlett to head MI6 as 'pay- off for dodgy

[UpInArms]

dossier'

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=518938

Tony Blair was under fire from all sides last night after appointing John Scarlett, who approved the "dodgy dossier" on Iraq, as the head of the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6.

Senior Labour backbench MPs joined Liberal Democrats and Tory leaders in accusing the Prime Minister of appointing Mr Scarlett as "the pay-off' for his support for the Government over the allegations that No 10 had "sexed up" the September 2002 dossier on weapons of mass destruction.

Mr Scarlett, the chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, who takes over as "C" from Sir Richard Dearlove, was a vital witness for the Government in the Hutton inquiry, which cleared Mr Blair, senior ministers and officials of exaggerating the threat from Saddam Hussein and his weapons of mass destruction.

Alastair Campbell, Mr Blair's former director of communications, who was also cleared by the Hutton inquiry, called Mr Scarlett a "mate".

There have been persistent reports of disquiet within MI6 at the prospect of Mr Scarlett taking over from the outgoing chief, Sir Richard. It had been widely assumed that the deputy head of the service, Nigel Inkster, would be the successor.

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[Politicub]

1. The "sexed up" report again

Bush will be Blair's undoing as well his his own.

FWIW - Whoever came up with the "sexed up" report phrase is brilliant. It has a way of sticking with you.