
Blair's fury with Chirac over Mugabe summit invite
'But this is the opposite of what he said to me,' he scrawled in a handwritten note after No 10 officials told him Mr Chirac feared South African president Thabo Mbeki would stay away from the gathering unless Mr Mugabe was invited. Tony Blair wanted to be 'pretty fierce' with president Robert Mugabe (PA)
'Ultimately if France wants to take the heat on this they can and probably they are using it to damage the UK's standing in Africa in the belief (mistaken) that Mugabe retains credibility.
'But we should be seen to do all we can to protest.'
The row came as Zimbabwe was caught up in a worsening spiral of violence and economic collapse after Mr Mugabe instigated a violent campaign to drive the country's remaining white farmers from their lands.
Mr Blair's Labour government was at the forefront of international efforts to pressurise Mr Mugabe to end the chaos, implement democratic reforms and restore the rule of law.
The UK's intervention was, however, deeply resented by Mr Mugabe who argued that – as the former colonial power – Britain should be paying reparations to his country.
As the situation worsened Mr Blair noted that they needed to be 'pretty fierce on Mugabe' if they were to make any progress. Nelson Mandela told Tony Blair that Mr Mugabe should be treated with respect (Matthew Fearn/PA)
He was, however, warned by South Africa's former president Nelson Mandela that – as a veteran of Africa's struggles for liberation from colonial rule – Mr Mugabe still needed to be treated with respect.
'Despite the recent turmoil in Zimbabwe we must not forget that President Mugabe is a statesman who has made a major contribution not only to Zimbabwe's independence but to the liberation of southern Africa,' he wrote in a letter to the prime minister.
'He deserves our good will, support and advice. As friends we should be able to discuss the issue of land redistribution, the rule of law and violence frankly and constructively with him.'
Meanwhile, efforts to foster better Anglo-French co-operation on Africa were hampered by a deep personal antipathy between Mr Chirac and Britain's international development secretary Clare Short.
Sir John Holmes, Britain's ambassador to Paris, said Mr Chirac had taken him aside to complain that she was 'viscerally anti-French and 'insupportable''.
He contrasted her attitude with the good working relationship French foreign minister Hubert Vedrine had enjoyed with his British counterpart Jack Straw and before him Robin Cook.
'Vedrine and Cook had worked well together, and Vedrine and Straw were continuing in the same vein. But Ms Short was impossible,' Sir John reported the French president as saying.
'He had not liked to raise this with the prime minister because they always had lots of other things to talk about, but we needed to know the position. In typical Chirac fashion, he laboured the point for several minutes.'
When Sir John assured him that Ms Short's views had been 'transformed' in the light of a recent trip to the region by Mr Vedrine, the French president replied 'God be praised'.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
14 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
UK housing crisis sparks 10% increase in young British adults living with their parents - while more than half of people living alone now are pensioners
Soaring housing costs have sparked an increase of almost 10 per cent in the number of young British adults failing to move out of their parents homes, new figures reveal today. The number of those aged 20-34 still living with mum and/or dad rose from 3.3 million in 2014 to 3.6 million last year, the Office for National Statistics said. The figures suggest fewer people are leaving home in their mid 20s, with issues like rent and mortgage costs and the uncertain job market affecting their choices. The proportion is higher among men, with a third of those in this age group still with their parents, compared to a quarter of women, with the difference most prevalent in the early and late 20s. The ONS said it was part of 'a trend of adults reaching milestones later in life' which could be explained by 'a number of factors including increased housing costs'. The data also revealed that pensioners accounted for more than half (51 per cent) of all people living alone in the UK last year, up from 45 per cent in 2014. Over 65s were the only age group where the number of people living alone actually rose, thanks to increasing life expectancy. A higher proportion of women aged 65 years or over lived alone (40.9 per cent) than men of the same age (27 per cent). Labour has pledged to deliver 1.5 million homes before the next election and has introduced major changes to the planning system. Angela Rayner has also announced plans to build 180,000 new social homes in the next decade as the Government seeks to 'turn the tide on the housing crisis'. The figure would be six times the number of social homes built in the 10 years up to 2024. It forms part of a drive to build 300,000 new social and affordable properties by 2035, backed by a £39 billion investment announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in last month's spending review. But housing charity Shelter has argued that the Government needs to build 90,000 new social homes a year for the next decade – five times the figure Ms Rayner has committed to. According to Shelter, building 90,000 social homes a year would clear waiting lists, which currently stand at around 1.3 million households, and end the use of temporary accommodation.


North Wales Chronicle
42 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Zelensky faces backlash as Ukrainians protest against new anti-corruption law
The legislation has also drawn rebukes from European Union officials and international rights groups. President Volodymyr Zelensky, under pressure as the change threatened to endanger his public support at a critical time in the war with Russia, convened the heads of Ukraine's key anti-corruption and security agencies on Wednesday morning in response to the outcry against his decision to approve the new law that was passed by Parliament. 'We all hear what society says,' Mr Zelensky wrote on Telegram after the meeting. But he insisted the new legal framework was needed to crack down harder on corruption. 'Criminal cases should not drag on for years without verdicts, and those working against Ukraine must not feel comfortable or immune from punishment,' the Ukrainian leader said. He said all government agencies agreed to work constructively and respond to public expectations for fairness and effectiveness. A detailed joint action plan is expected within two weeks, aimed at addressing institutional weaknesses, removing legal hurdles, and ensuring justice across the board, he said. Thousands of people gathered in the capital and other cities across Ukraine on Tuesday evening to urge Mr Zelensky to veto the controversial bill. After Mr Zelensky approved it, activists called on social media for another demonstration in the centre of Kyiv on Wednesday evening. The legislation tightens government oversight of two key anti-corruption agencies. Critics say the step could significantly weaken the independence of those agencies and grant Mr Zelensky's circle greater influence over investigations. Fighting entrenched corruption is crucial for Ukraine's aspirations to join the EU and maintain access to billions of dollars in western aid in its fight against Russia's three-year invasion. In a post on X, the EU's enlargement commissioner, Marta Kos, expressed concern over the vote in the Ukrainian parliament, called the Rada, calling it 'a serious step back'. The Ukrainian branch of Transparency International criticised parliament's decision, saying it undermines one of the most significant reforms since what Ukraine calls its Revolution of Dignity in 2014, and damages trust with international partners. It accused authorities of 'dismantling' the country's anti-corruption architecture. Mr Zelensky has been the international face of Ukraine's determination to defeat Russia's all-out invasion, and his domestic troubles are an unwelcome diversion from the war effort. Mr Zelensky said the new law clears out 'Russian influence' from the fight against corruption and ensures punishment for those found guilty of it, after what he said were years-long delays in criminal proceedings involving huge amounts of money. 'The cases that have been lying dormant must be investigated,' Mr Zelensky said in a Telegram post after midnight on Wednesday. 'For years, officials who have fled Ukraine have been casually living abroad for some reason – in very nice countries and without legal consequences – and this is not normal.' He did not provide examples of what he said was Russian interference. Russian officials relished Mr Zelensky's difficulties. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova mocked Mr Zelensky's claim of Russian infiltration into the anti-corruption agency, noting sarcastically that 'they might just as well pull a couple of bears out of the corner'. Delegations from Russia and Ukraine were set to meet in Istanbul on Wednesday for their third round of direct talks in two months, the Kremlin and Ukrainian officials said. The meeting was not expected to make progress on ending the war and would likely focus on exchanges of prisoners of war. Mr Zelensky said the Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul 'will again insist on the need for an immediate and complete ceasefire, including… strikes on civilian infrastructure'. Russian drone strikes knocked out power to more than 220,000 customers in Ukraine's north-eastern region of Sumy, Mr Zelensky said on Telegram, adding that repairs restored most of the supply in hours. Ukrainian and western officials have accused the Kremlin of stalling in the talks in order for its bigger army to capture more Ukrainian land. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump threatened Russia with severe economic sanctions and said more American weapons, paid for by European countries, would go to Ukraine. Mr Trump hardened his stance towards Moscow after months of frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin about unsuccessful talks for a ceasefire. Mr Trump gave Russia until early September to agree to a ceasefire.


Powys County Times
43 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
Government-backed scheme to transition oil and gas workers opens
A scheme backed by the Scottish and UK Governments will offer advice and training to oil and gas workers looking to move into green energy. The pilot will help about 200 current or former workers in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire with support and funding for training courses, in a move energy minister Michael Shanks said would 'help deliver a fair and prosperous transition'. Both Governments have pinpointed the north east as being crucial to the planned transition away from fossil fuels, with £900,000 made available by the UK Government and an additional £40,000 from the Scottish Government for the first raft of applicants. But the Scottish Conservatives criticised the plans as 'frankly embarrassing', claiming the funding was not enough. 'Aberdeen has been the energy capital of Britain for decades and while oil and gas will be with us for decades to come, we are determined to make sure that workers are supported to access the thousands of jobs in industries such as offshore wind and carbon capture,' the energy minister said. 'This funding will help deliver a fair and prosperous transition in the North Sea, unlocking the full potential of renewable energy and reaping the economic benefits from the skills and experiences of Aberdeen's workforce.' Scottish Tory net zero spokesman Douglas Lumsden said: 'It's frankly embarrassing that Labour and the SNP are boasting about this scheme. 'This support for 200 workers amounts to a drop in the ocean when compared to the projected 400 jobs a fortnight being lost thanks to their decimation of the oil and gas sector. 'Both parties shamefully opposed Rosebank and Cambo (oil fields) and have said they're against North Sea drilling altogether. 'This sector drives £14 billion into our economy and supports 83,000 jobs, but John Swinney and Keir Starmer have sold it down the river.' But Scottish Secretary Ian Murray described the announcement as 'good news' for the area and the industry, claiming it will 'ensure there is a key role for our offshore workers in delivering our net zero future'. And Scottish Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said: 'The north east of Scotland has long been a titan in the oil and gas industry and the expertise within our workforce must be at the heart of driving a just transition to new fuels and sustainable energy. 'This new oil and gas transition training fund will support offshore workers to take on roles in the sustainable energy sector and has been designed and developed by the Scottish Government, supported by funding from UK Government's regional skills pilot for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, and will be delivered by Skills Development Scotland. 'Through initiatives such as the just transition fund and the energy transition fund, the Scottish Government has already invested £120 million in the north east's transition to net zero to help create green jobs, support innovation, and secure the highly skilled workforce of the future.'