Hussein smears would draw attention to arms sales, Thatcher told

MARGARET THATCHER was urged by a colleague not to embark on a smear campaign against Saddam Hussein less than a fortnight into the Gulf War, amid concerns over Britain’s arms dealings with the Iraqi regime, previously classified papers reveal. Foreign Office Minister William Waldegrave said propaganda against Saddam was “not difficult to come by”, but warned it was likely to lead to questions over why British companies had sold munitions to Iraq, despite the atrocities committed during Saddam’s reign. In his letter, held at the National Archives in Kew, Mr Waldegrave – who was later criticised in the inquiry into the arms-forIraq saga – wrote: “The more the Government trumpets Saddam’s atrocities, the more the question comes up: why did you go on doing business with him for so long?” His involvement stemmed back to the decision in 1988 to relax guidelines on defence sales to Iran and Iraq following the ceasefire in the war between them.

He and ministers Alan Clark and Lord Trefgarne agreed a new wording for the guideline covering the export of non-lethal defence equipment such as machine tools.

However, after a public outcry over the gassing of Iraqi Kurds by Saddam’s regime, they agreed the change should not be announced publicly.

The ministers continued to insist the policy remained unchanged and the guidelines were being applied even-handedly to Iran and Iraq. Mr Waldegrave signed 27 letters stating the policy had not changed – something the inquiry found was “not accurate”. Mrs Thatcher resigned as prime minister in November 1990, replaced by John Major.