THE TELEGRAPH: Tony Blair wants to sign a new £20 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia before he leaves office later this month despite the mounting row over allegations of secret payments to a Saudi prince, Government sources indicated yesterday.
Saudi Arabia had been on the brink of concluding the deal to supply Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Riyadh when fresh allegations emerged that BAE Systems had paid £1 billion in backhanders to Prince Bandar bin Sultan, former Saudi ambassador to the US.
The Prime Minister still hopes to clinch the deal before he leaves No 10 on June 27 - six months after the Serious Fraud Office was told to drop an investigation into the bribery allegations. Blair fends off row to ‘to press for Saudi deal’ (more) | George Jones
THE TIMES: Pressure mounts for Goldsmith to explain role in arms deal
Mark Alexander
