Tony Blair's May 2007 visit to Libya was about more than simply normalising relations with a former rogue state. The former Prime Minister was accompanied by senior officials from British defence firms MBDA and General Dynamics UK. Before they left they had secured contracts worth over £340 million.
Although strongly denied by the Labour government at the time, there is continuing speculation that these arms deals, along with lucrative oil exploration contracts for British oil giant BP were at least partly behind the release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi in August 2009. The convicted bomber was released on compassionate grounds after Scottish doctors reported that he had less than 3 months to live.
A report into the release by British Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell revealed that the British government in Westminster "did all it could" to help facilitate the release of Megrahi, who is still alive today. The report did make it clear that the decision was made by the devolved Scottish government, and that no undue pressure was applied by the UK government.
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