Judgment: Peter Mandelson
Party venue: The Rothschild family's French chateau-style Waddesdon Manor
Keen shot: Saif Gaddafi, Host: Nat Rothschild and Guest: Cherie Blair
Lord Mandelson has infuriated families of the Lockerbie bombing victims by attending a shooting party with Colonel Gaddafi's son.
The Business Secretary and Saif Gaddafi were guests of billionaire financier Lord Rothschild and his son Nat at the family mansion in Buckinghamshire.
In a bizarre confirmation of Labour's close links to the Libyan regime, Cherie Blair was also present.
The gathering came after the controversial release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al Megrahi, who was flown home by Saif Gaddafi to a hero's welcome in August.
Megrahi, who has prostate cancer, was released from a Scottish jail after being given just three months to live.
His continued survival, however, more than three months later has renewed claims that his release was cynically engineered to placate the Gaddafi regime and protect lucrative oil contracts with Tripoli.
Details of the shooting party at Lord Rothschild's French chateau-style Waddesdon Manor estate, near Aylesbury, are revealed today by Spectator magazine columnist Charles Moore.
He writes: 'A shoot was taking place, though not all the party were shooting. As well as Lord Rothschild and his son Nat, the unofficial deputy prime minister, Lord Mandelson, was there, and also Lord Rothschild's country neighbour, Cherie Blair.
'Neither of them picked up a gun.
Various young friends of Nat with double-barrelled or European princely names were shooting. But the keenest shot was Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the Libyan dictator.'
The revelations raised new questions over Lord Mandelson's judgment, three months after he dined with Saif Gaddafi at Lord Rothschild's estate in Corfu just days before Megrahi's release was announced.
Frank Duggan, president of Victims of Pan Am 103 said: 'I don't think it's appropriate at all but I can't say I am very surprised.
'The release of Megrahi was an incredible victory for Libya and Saif Gaddafi engineered the whole thing to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Libyan revolution.
The British government and the Scottish government fell into that trap.'
He accused senior ministers of feathering the nests of British businesses. Lord Mandelson was an outspoken supporter of closer trade links with Libya during his time as EU Trade Commissioner.
'Gaddafi was openly boasting that there was a commercial component and that the oil companies were involved in the deal,' Mr Duggan said. 'My belief is that Megrahi was never as sick as they said he was.'
Tory MP Greg Hands said: 'This extraordinary revelation, if true, raises serious questions for Peter Mandelson. Once again he is mixing up his private associations and his
'For years, he has been at the centre of Britain's relationship with Libya. People will question why the First Secretary thinks it is appropriate to enjoy country house weekends with the man who escorted Megrahi home to a hero's welcome in Libya.'
public duties.
The sight of the deputy prime minister in all but name and Mrs Blair, newly hob-nobbing with a band of billionaires and the Gaddafi family, also has the potential to undermine Labour's charge that David Cameron's Tories are the party of toffs.
Lord Mandelson's spokesman issued a brief statement implying that he was rather more embarrassed about being exposed attending a game shoot - wildly unpopular with Labour MPs - than he was about his relations with the regime behind the Lockerbie atrocity.
He said: 'We do not offer a running commentary on Peter Mandelson's social engagements but we can confirm he's never taken part in a pheasant shoot and never will.'
A source close to the Business Secretary confirmed he has no shame about spending time with the Libyan dictator's son.
'Peter always said he'd be happy to meet Saif Gaddafi again.' Mrs Blair's presence is also curious since she would not be considered a natural at a pheasant shoot.
Mrs Blair is an outspoken opponent of blood sports and is widely credited with persuading her husband Tony to bow to pressure from Labour backbenchers to ban hunting with dogs.
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