While British politicians lambasted the celebratory reception that greeted home Abdelbasset Ali al-Megrahi, the convicted Lockerbie bomber, there were similar scenes of celebration in some quarters in the UK.

These would be, behind closed doors of the board rooms of some of Britain’s biggest firms, particularly those in the Oil Industry. Despite harsh criticism of the Libyan regime and its oppressive treatment of its citizens, the release of al-Megrahi is widely seen as a move to improve Britain’s already rewarding trade relations with Libya. UK exports to Libya rose 21% last year to total £280m and Libya is soon to become the leading oil exporter in Africa making Britain very keen to further increase its trade relations.

Despite all the talk of promoting human rights,The West are happy to maintain business links with a long list of despots including Islam Karimov “the butcher of Andijan” and King Abdullah to name but a few.Western foreign policy puts business and strategic interests before lives and principle.