William Hague blamed a “serious misunderstanding” with rebel leaders for the botched diplomatic mission to eastern Libya as recriminations flew around Whitehall.
The Foreign Secretary insisted that the anti-Gaddafi council in Benghazi had welcomed the idea of meeting British diplomats, as he defended his decision to authorise the operation. It ended with the two MI6 officials and their six special forces “bodyguards” from the Special Boat Service being withdrawn after they were detained for two days by armed Libyan farmers.
Diplomatic and defence sources blamed the “mindset” of the special forces for surprising locals with a drop-off by helicopter under cover of darkness instead of deploying from HMS Cumberland in Benghazi harbour.
However, other officials pinned blame on an intelligence and diplomatic failure for misjudging conditions on the ground. “We have not had our finest hour,” one Whitehall official said.
Mr Hague said that the timing and details of the mission had been “decided by the professionals”, but added that he took full ministerial responsibility. The Prime Minister was aware that it was going ahead. Mr Hague told the Commons that he would shortly send in another team of diplomats, but “on a very different basis”.
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A poll for The Times today shows that there is significant support among voters for Britain to take a leading role in the Libyan crisis. Almost half back military intervention on humanitarian grounds and a clear majority support help for refugees regardless of their country of origin.
In the Commons, Mr Hague was taunted from both sides of the chamber for the failings of the weekend mission. Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Liberal Democrat leader, said it had been “ill conceived, poorly planned and embarrassingly executed”.
Douglas Alexander, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, said the failed mission raised further questions about Mr Hague’s response to events in Libya.
Mr Alexander, referring to the night-time helicopter landing, said that voters would wonder, if new neighbours moved in next door to the Foreign Secretary, “whether he would introduce himself by ringing the doorbell or instead choose to climb over the fence in the middle of the night”.
The Special Boat Service team took off in a Chinook from Valetta, Malta, in the early hours of Friday, it emerged yesterday. By the time senior government officials in London had discussed sending diplomats to meet the rebels, the team had already been detained.
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However, the Populus poll found that 49 per cent of respondents believe that Britain should be prepared to use military force to prevent foreign regimes from launching attacks against citizens campaigning for freedom. This compares with 45 per cent of respondents who were against such a measure. Liberal Democrats were least in favour, with 50 per cent opposed to intervention.
The poll also found that a big majority supported Britain helping refugees, with 68 per cent in favour and 28 per cent against such a move. This effectively endorsed the mission last week by Andrew Mitchell, the International Development Secretary, to help refugees on the Libyan-Tunisian border.Britain also has an obligation to passport holders working abroad when their safety is threatened by political unrest, according to voters, with 86 per cent in favour and 11 per cent opposed.
Mr Hague said that any no-fly zone would require “a clear legal basis” and support from the region.