Scotish Goverment start to rule Britian, senior British politicians are sticking by their refusal to give evidence to a US committee as the row over the freeing of the Lockerbie bomber raged on. Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill made it clear he would not be changing his mind despite a fresh plea from senators for him to testify before their inquiry into Abdelbaset al-Megrahi's release.
"The point has already been made quite clear by the First Minister of Scotland - I am the justice secretary of Scotland, I am elected by the people of Scotland and I am answerable to the parliament of Scotland," Mr MacAskill told the BBC. "I have been made available and co-operated with enquiries both in the Scottish Parliament and in Westminster, and that is where jurisdiction lies."
Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague flatly rejected suggestions that BP influenced the decision to release Megrahi on compassionate grounds last August.
The company had several contacts with then-Foreign Secretary Jack Straw over negotiations for a controversial prisoner transfer agreement in 2007, after Tripoli indicated the outcome would impact on the fate of a major oil-drilling contract.
