Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has refused to address criticisms made by solicitor Gareth Peirce of his role in the repatriation of Abdelbaset Al Megrahi, but has instead issued a two year old “response“ to The Firm on the basis that “none of the facts have changed”.

Ms Peirce linked Mr Blair’s negotiations with Colonel Gadaffi in Libya to “layers and layers of deceit” surrounding the case.

A representative from Mr Blair’s office last night reissued a statement to The Firm that had initially been issued in 2009 and recycled on a number of occasions, but did not address or engage with the points raised by Ms Peirce.

“You’re correct, it is the same statement made in 2009 and on a few occasions since then,” a spokesman from Mr Blair‘s office told The Firm.

“The statement has not changed because none of the facts have changed. This makes it an unchanged statement, not a historic statement.”

The Firm repeatedly requested that Mr Blair address the points raised by Ms Peirce, but no response to Peirce’s criticisms was provided.

Blair’s office said their statement, which is repeated in full below, represented a “response” to The Firm’s inquiry.

The statement issued on behalf of Mr Blair was first issued in September 2009, and reads as follows:

"Mr Megrahi's release had nothing to do with any of the bilateral negotiations Mr Blair started. Rather his release was a decision made on compassionate grounds by the Scottish Executive more than two years after Mr Blair stood down as Prime Minister and on conditions which didn't even exist when he left office in 2007. The decision on Mr Megrahi release was not one Mr Blair had any role in whatsoever."