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Tony Blair personally intervened to secure an exemption for formula one from a tobacco advertising ban just hours after meeting the sport's boss, Bernie Ecclestone, according to Whitehall documents.
...
At the time, Blair denied any personal involvement in the issue, appearing on the BBC's On the Record programme to insist he was a "pretty straight kind of guy".
But briefing notes prepared by officials - obtained by the Sunday Telegraph under freedom of information laws - raise questions about his account.
...
At the time, Blair denied any personal involvement in the issue, appearing on the BBC's On the Record programme to insist he was a "pretty straight kind of guy".
But briefing notes prepared by officials - obtained by the Sunday Telegraph under freedom of information laws - raise questions about his account.
They reportedly show that he instructed his chief of staff, Jonathan Powell, to signal his support for an exemption after meeting Ecclestone on October 16 1997.
The following day, Downing Street wrote to Tessa Jowell, then the public health minister, stating: "The prime minister would like your ministers to look for ways of finding a permanent derogation for sport, in particular F1."
Background, from: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/oct/12/tonyblair-labour
Here's Harry Enfield as Rev. Blair making an "apology" akin to Boris's recent "I'm sorry I didn't realise people would interpret a social work event as being an office party"