According to the leaked cables British diplomats had planned dramatic and pre-emptive measures preparing for hostile demonstrations and leaving only essential staff in the embassy, were Megrahi to die in prison.

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Or to put it another way, for all the UK government's pre-emptive austerity measures, on paper the fiscal position of the UK is worse than for Italy and for Spain.

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Security forces across the country are "undertaking pre-emptive and precautionary measures" to ensure people's safety and protect public and private property, he said.

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