The Scotsman

Blair Urged to Quit over Soldier's Death

By Leigh Arnold, Political Reporter, Scottish Press Association

The mother of a Scots soldier killed in Iraq repeated calls for Tony Blair to resign today, on the third anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the US.

Rose Gentle, whose 19-year-old son Gordon was killed by a roadside bomb in Basra, said the Prime Minister “makes me sick”.

Mrs Gentle also reiterated her demand that British troops be brought home during a Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) rally in Glasgow.

She said: “Tony Blair said if there were no weapons of mass destruction he would resign, which he hasn’t. So is that another lie he has given us?

“And why has he still not decided to meet the parents of the sons who’ve been killed.”

She added: “If he’s any sort of person he should resign and stop getting young boys killed.

“I would love to see him come up and see my other boys grieve and see how he can stand to look at it when Gordon’s not here for Christmas.

“I hope he enjoys his Christmas because I won’t. The man makes me sick when I see him on the telly with his stupid grin.”

Gordon, from Glasgow, was serving with the Royal Highland Fusiliers when he was killed on June 28, just weeks after completing his training.

Mrs Gentle believes his death could have been avoided if his patrol had been equipped with an electronic signal jamming device which would have stopped the bomb being detonated.

The family have launched a campaign against the war and are now taking steps to sue the Ministry of Defence for negligence over Gordon’s death.

She told the 300-strong audience at “Socialism 2004 – The World Is Ours” that her son had died in “an illegal war”.

Her voice breaking with emotion she said: “It eats me away to think that they had the equipment that could have prevented the bomb going off, but it was left in a cupboard and placed on two hours after Gordon’s death.”

Mrs Gentle said she had received hundreds of letters of support urging her to continue fighting, including some from soldiers and their families.

She added: “I firmly believe that the time has come for the Government to bring our soldiers home, away from the illegal war in Iraq.”

A host of politicians and international speakers were addressing the weekend rally at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Among those taking part were SSP leader Tommy Sheridan and comedian Mark Steel as well as visitors from Darfur, Columbia and the Basque country.