Blair hits out at Short over ‘irresponsible’ bugging claims

THE British Government is to review the Official Secrets Act after Prime Minister Tony Blair branded ex-Cabinet minister Clare Short “irresponsible” for claiming British secret agents bugged UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Last night's announcement of the review of the Official Secrets Act also followed the collapse of a court case yesterday against ex-GCHQ employee Katharine Gun when the prosecution offered no evidence, although Ms Gunn admitted leaking details of an American request for help in eavesdropping on UN delegates in the run-up to the war on Iraq.

A spokesman for Mr Annan said such moves would be illegal and called for them to stop if they existed. UN premises are "inviolable" under a 1946 charter signed by Britain.