British PM not at Cook funeral: scathing attack on Tony Blair

FPF - August 12th - 2005 - Tony Blair did not even turn up at the funeral of former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, who resigned over the illegal Iraq war and, according to the news on 'Classic FM' in England replaying a sound bite from the loudspeakers outside the cathedral: ''McCririck blasted Blair to just go on snorkling on his holiday instead of doing his duty and be present at the funeral." Mr McCririck mounted the attack in a tribute at his friend Cook's funeral, saying Mr Blair's absence was a "moral failure" and showed vindictiveness.

McCririck slams PM at Cook funeral

Friday - Aug 12 2005 - Racing pundit John McCririck launched a scathing attack on Tony Blair for failing to turn up at the funeral of former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook.

Mr McCririck said it demonstrated "petty vindictiveness" that the Prime Minister had snubbed Mr Cook's widow Gaynor and the rest of the family by staying on holiday.

The comments, which were broadcast on a loudspeaker outside St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, were met with a round of applause from onlookers who packed the Royal Mile.

Hundreds of mourners have gathered to pay tribute to Mr Cook, who died suddenly last weekend.

Cabinet ministers, celebrities and ordinary members of the public joined Mr Cook's family for the service.

Mr Cook, 59, the Labour MP for Livingston, died after collapsing on Ben Stack in the Scottish Highlands while out walking with his wife Gaynor on Saturday.

A post-mortem test concluded that he had died from hypertensive heart disease.

Many of his former Cabinet colleagues went to St Giles' Cathedral to hear Chancellor Gordon Brown pay tribute to one of the country's leading parliamentarians.

Defence Secretary John Reid, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and wife Pauline, and Work and Pensions Secretary David Blunkett were also at the service.

In his eulogy, Gordon Brown said Mr Cook's passing had left a gap that could never properly be filled. [enditem]

Story Url.: http://tinyurl.com/d7a7d


Footnote: interesting to remember, this story in 'the Observer' on Cook's death, of which it's said he was 'suicided':

''Robin Cook, the former Foreign Secretary, died in hospital last night after collapsing while walking in the Scottish hills he loved.

The 59-year-old MP was airlifted to hospital in Inverness yesterday afternoon after being taken ill while walking with his wife, Gaynor, and friends near the summit of Ben Stack, close to Lochinver, Sutherland.

There were unconfirmed reports last night that he suffered a heart attack and then fell, breaking his neck.

An unnamed friend who was with the MP on the mountain attempted to give Cook mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for 30 minutes before an Coastguard helicopter arrived at the scene.''

[end quote] Full story in the Observer - Url.: http://tinyurl.com/8hso5

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* MSNBC Poll: "Do you believe that President Bush mislead the nation to go to war with Iraq?" - Url.: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8248969/

*Corporate News Media: Incompetent, Criminally Negligent or Complicit? - Url.: http://tinyurl.com/cqpfe

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