Margaret Thatcher "vetoed Lockerbie inquiry"

[What follows is an item from the Memory Lane column of the Bromsgrove Advertiser:]

25 years ago. December 7, 1989

Bromsgrove doctor Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora was killed in the Lockerbie bombing, travelled to London to hear a public inquiry would not be held.

Dr Swire, along with other relatives of the 270 killed, had a two hour meeting with Transport Secretary Cecil Parkinson, who gave them no hope that an inquiry would ever take place.

[Here is what Tam Dalyell has written about this:]

When the relatives went to see the then UK Transport Secretary, Cecil Parkinson, he told them he did agree that there should be a public inquiry. Going out of the door as they were leaving, as an afterthought he said: 'Just one thing. I must clear permission for a public inquiry with colleagues'. Dr Swire, John Mosey and Pamela Dix, the secretary of the Lockerbie relatives, imagined that it was a mere formality. A fortnight later, sheepishly, Parkinson informed them that colleagues had not agreed. At that time there was only one colleague who could possibly have told Parkinson that he was forbidden to do something in his own department. That was the Prime Minister. Only she could have told Parkinson to withdraw his offer, certainly, in my opinion, knowing the man, given in good faith.