No10 'blocks ambassador's Iraq book'

Number 10 and the Foreign Office are said to be blocking a book on the Iraq war by one of Britain's most senior former diplomats.

Sir Jeremy Greenstock's book appears set to deliver strong criticism of the conduct of negotiations in the run up to the war.

However, Whitehall rules require that official approval is granted before diplomats are allowed to publish books related to their former roles.

Sir Jeremy, who was the British ambassador to the United Nations during the build-up to war and later became the prime minister's envoy to Iraq, expresses strong criticism of coalition policies.

According to reports in the Observer he says that UN negotiations "never rose over the level of awkward diversion for the US administration".

And "honourable decisions" to remove Saddam Hussein were wasted by "poor policy analysis and narrow-minded execution".

The paper said that officials were "deeply shocked" by his revelations of personal conversations with Tony Blair and foreign secretary Jack Straw.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "Civil service regulations which apply to all members of the diplomatic service require that any retired officials must obtain clearance in respect of any publication relation to their service.

"Sir Jeremy Greenstock's proposed book is being dealt with under this procedure."