Shayler to take on government

David Shayler: Standing up to the 'bullies'

Former MI5 intelligence officer David Shayler has said he is prepared to stand up to the government when he returns to the UK on Monday.

The 34-year-old Briton has been living in "political exile" in Paris for three years after making a string of revelations about the secret services including an alleged plot to kill Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi.

Speaking at a press conference at a hotel in Calais Mr Shayler reiterated his claims and said he would love the chance of being tried in court over his actions.

"We are facing up to the bullies," he said. "The government will not take on people who stand up to it."

If you know people have been killed with British taxpayers' money, you should have a duty to report that to the police

David Shayler

Mr Shayler will return to Britain on Monday with his girlfriend Annie Machon and is expected to be arrested by the Metropolitan force's Special Operations Unit once he enters the country.

His lawyer John Wadham said he had been given guarantees that his client would be granted bail following his arrest.

"David has always wanted to have a proper investigation of all his allegations," Mr Wadham said.

The government wants to prosecute Mr Shayler for breaking the 1989 Official Secrets Act.

But Mr Shayler believes a new human rights law - the European Convention of Human Rights - due to be incorporated into British law on 2 October will help his cause.

MPs' warning

This view has been backed by some senior Labour MPs, who warned that a prosecution would only embarrass the government.

Andrew Mackinlay, who is challenging for the chairmanship of the Parliamentary Labour Party, said ministers risked making themselves look silly if Mr Shayler was charged under the "flawed and archaic" Official Secrets Act.

"It is now deemed by jurists to be contrary to the modern norms of justice and conflicts with the European Convention on Human Rights", he said.

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Simon Hughes said there was growing support for the reform of the Official Secrets Act.

But Armed Forces Minister John Spellar said it was essential to maintain the security of the intelligence agencies.

Mr Shayler said that once he is charged, his passport will be taken off him which will effectively prevent him from making any further allegations.

'I'm no traitor'

But he said he did not think the government would want to see him tried in open court.

"It raises far more problems for them than it does for me," Mr Shayler said.

The former MI5 man insisted that he had done nothing wrong.

"I did what I did because I love my country," he told the press conference. "I'm not a traitor."

He reiterated his claims that MI6 was involved in a plot to assassinate Col Gaddafi.

John Wadham: David wants proper investigation of his allegations

"If you know people have been killed with British taxpayers' money you should have a duty to report that to the police," Mr Shayler said.

He said his three months in a French jail and three years in exile had been worth it.

"Someone had to get up and say it," he said. "This has opened my eyes to the lack of civil liberties in Britain," he said.

Mr Shayler also announced his intention to stand in the next general election.

Election campaign

"People I know in the north east feel totally betrayed by Tony Blair," he said.

"I intend to stand as an independent candidate on a platform of human rights and freedom of information."

Mr Shayler said he has arranged to be represented by Ben Emerson, a member of the same chambers as Cherie Booth.

Attempts by Britain to extradite Mr Shayler in 1998 were thrown out by a French court.

The government suffered a further setback in July when two national newspapers successfully appealed against an order requiring them to hand over documents and e-mails sent to them by Mr Shayler.