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17/10/2006
Blunkett 'gave order to machine-gun inmates'
Former Home Secretary David Blunkett told the Prison Service to call in the Army and 'machine-gun' prisoners during a riot at a prison in 2002, it has been claimed.
Writing in 'The Times', Martin Narey, who was the director-general of the service at the time, referred to the takeover of Lincoln jail by prisoners in 2002.
Mr Narey said that he told Mr Blunkett that he would not rush ordering staff back into the jail, if it put lives at risk.
Mr Narey then claimed that the former Home Secretary "shrieked at me that he didn't care about lives, told me to call in the Army and 'machine gun' the prisoners and - still shrieking - again ordered me to take the prison back immediately."
Mr Narey said that he refused and that Mr Blunkett hung up the phone.
Mr Narey's article followed the publication of Mr Blunkett's diaries, which record his eights years spent in the Cabinet.
In the diaries, Mr Blunkett accused Mr Narey of dithering over the riot.
A spokesperson for Mr Blunkett has denied the claims. They told 'The Times': "The diary records precisely what happened. He did order the retaking of the prison. He did not say anything about machine guns. Quite apart from anything else, they do not carry machine guns in the Prison Service."
(KMcA/EF)
Writing in 'The Times', Martin Narey, who was the director-general of the service at the time, referred to the takeover of Lincoln jail by prisoners in 2002.
Mr Narey said that he told Mr Blunkett that he would not rush ordering staff back into the jail, if it put lives at risk.
Mr Narey then claimed that the former Home Secretary "shrieked at me that he didn't care about lives, told me to call in the Army and 'machine gun' the prisoners and - still shrieking - again ordered me to take the prison back immediately."
Mr Narey said that he refused and that Mr Blunkett hung up the phone.
Mr Narey's article followed the publication of Mr Blunkett's diaries, which record his eights years spent in the Cabinet.
In the diaries, Mr Blunkett accused Mr Narey of dithering over the riot.
A spokesperson for Mr Blunkett has denied the claims. They told 'The Times': "The diary records precisely what happened. He did order the retaking of the prison. He did not say anything about machine guns. Quite apart from anything else, they do not carry machine guns in the Prison Service."
(KMcA/EF)
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