Another Downing Street Memo Surfaces

Blair Expresses Concerns over Live 8's Snub of Spice Girls

by christopher taylor

LONDON--Another highly classified British memo, leaked during the run-up to the Live 8 series of concerts-for-Africa, appeared in British tabloid The Daily Mirror. The memo indicates that British Prime Minister Tony Blair was "perturbed" when he heard the Live 8 organizers declined to take the Spice Girls up on their offer to reunite.

The document, which summarizes a June 3, 2005, meeting of Blair with his top security advisers, reports the intended topic of conversation was the latest intelligence on the Iraqi insurgence, but that in fact the only subject that was discussed at any length was the exploits of former Boomtown Rats' frontman Bob Geldof.

"The Prime Minister said that it would be a real blow to Africa not to have the advantage of 'those talented birds' [the Spice Girls] in raising funds," the memo said.

The document also indicated the Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon was "really hoping to see Baby Spice in a tight outfit" singing "Say You'll Be There."

A spokesman for No. 10 Downing Street, the office of the British Prime Minister, said today, "We would never comment on internal documents." But two senior British officials, who asked not to be further identified because of the sensitivity of the material, told Newsweek in separate interviews that they had no reason to question the authenticity of the documents published by The Daily Mirror.