Brown's arms probe dilemma
| Analysis By Ross Hawkins Political reporter, BBC News |
The defunct fraud investigation into the massive al-Yamamah arms deal had been all but forgotten by many at Westminster.
 Gordon Brown has a little time to ponder his response |
It looked like something for the history books, a handful of campaigners and a few interested journalists.
Not any more.
A court ruling that the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) acted unlawfully has made it Gordon Brown's problem.
The prime minister cannot tell the SFO to re-open its investigation. That is a matter for the investigators.
Manufacturing jobs
But he has the same dilemma as his predecessor, Tony Blair, faced when he was in power: What to do about Saudi Arabia's objections?
Mr Blair made his opinion perfectly clear when he was in Number 10.
He thought the SFO probe would have achieved nothing, wrecked Britain's relationship with key ally Saudi Arabia and cost thousands of precious manufacturing jobs.
He knew that view would not make him popular in some circles - and that it would have breached international law to halt the probe on economic grounds - but he was sure it was right.
Now Gordon Brown must decide whether he agrees.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7342540.stm
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