Blair facing probe for Formula 1 scandal

London, Oct 14: Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is facing a sleaze probe on Monday, Oct 13 night over claims he lied to MPs about a funding scandal. Commons Speaker Michael Martin may recall Blair to Parliament to give him a chance to give his side of the story. Martin is 'deeply concerned' over secret papers that said Blair did not tell the truth, The Sun says.

They show he personally intervened to exempt Formula 1 racing from a tobacco ad ban hours after meeting the sport's multi-millionaire boss Bernie Ecclestone, who donated one million pounds to Labour, influenced the 1997 decision. But the papers show he asked an aide just hours after the meeting to signal his support for the move.

This was New Labour's first sleaze scandal, breaking shortly after the party swept into Downing Street in 1997. Tory MP John Maples interrupted a Commons debate yesterday to accuse Blair of lying.

A spokesman for Blair said: "There is nothing new here. The documents released are entirely consistent with Tony Blair's answers at the time."

ANI