The Brit press digest

Top stories from blighted Blighty

He just loves the limelight, our Monsiegneur Bliar

Revealed: Blair attack on human rights law

Letter to Reid demands urgent action· Police call for end to early jail releases

Tony Blair is planning a radical overhaul of Britain's controversial human rights legislation after claims that the present laws put the rights of criminals above those of victims.

In a move which brought immediate criticism from human rights' experts, the Prime Minister wants the government to have the power to override court rulings.

The move comes only days after Blair criticised a senior judge for preventing the deportation of nine Afghan refugees who hijacked a plane to Britain.

Downing Street said he was determined to find a way around such 'barmy' court rulings... (more)


What's that singed smell ? ... oooohh it's his pants

I'll step down next summer, Blair tells cabinet ministers

Tony Blair has told a number of cabinet ministers in recent days that he plans to leave Downing Street next summer, The Independent on Sunday has learnt. He was forced to spell out the timetable for his departure to senior colleagues as Labour's raging civil war threatened to engulf his leadership.... (more)


Hide and seek for grown ups :


Spies ‘hid’ bomber tape from MPs
Bugging revealed earlier plot

MI5 is being accused of a cover-up for failing to disclose to a parliamentary watchdog that it bugged the leader of the July 7 suicide bombers discussing the building of a bomb months before the London attacks.

MI5 had secret tape recordings of Mohammad Sidique Khan, the gang leader, talking about how to build the device and then leave the country because there would be a lot of police activity... (More)


Grim stuff

British troops tell of battle for downed helicopter

THE soldiers who were first to reach last weekend’s helicopter crash in Basra, in which five UK service personnel died, will never forget the reaction of the crowd. “You think you know these people, but you don’t,” said a sergeant. “They say they are religious, pointing east to pray, but they were cheering.”

The Lynx helicopter came down within sight of the army base in central Basra. “We didn’t need a grid (reference), it was just head for that f****** plume of smoke,” the sergeant said.

With a team of medics, he forced his way through the jubilant, screaming mass. The helicopter was already burning fiercely.

Nobody was left alive ... (More)


There's gratitude for you :

Disband the RAF, says Iraq war's inspirational colonel


Colonel Tim Collins, the former Army officer described as a hero during the Iraq war, prompted controversy last night by calling for the RAF to be disbanded.

To the outrage of RAF veterans, Col Collins, the Army commander famous for his inspirational "eve of battle" speech in Iraq, said it was time for a radical solution to defence budget problems, saying: "The RAF must go."
Col Collins argued that responsibility for transport into war zones and air strikes could be taken over by the Royal Navy. The Army could absorb Special Forces and helicopter operations ... (More)