Although Britain was against the death penalty in principle...

Although Britain was against the death penalty in principle and had conveyed this to Iraq, it was not likely to intervene if the former Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, were to be executed after a proper trial by a sovereign Government. The Prime Minister, Tony Blair's official spokesman was quoted as saying that ultimately it was a "matter for the Iraqi Government and the outcome of a transparent judicial process''. He said: "We have made clear to the Iraqi Government our opposition to the death penalty and we will continue to do so. But Iraq now has a sovereign Government again and we have to respect that sovereignty.'' As a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights, Britain was obliged to seek an assurance that those in its custody would not be executed once they were handed over to another Government.