In 1997, after the Labour government came to power, Straw asked Sir William Macpherson to enquire into how public institutions could judge how well they were addressing the needs of an ethnically diverse society - focussing on the Met.

BBC: Stephen Lawrence anniversary: Racism fight goes on

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State William Burns officially represented the United States, while Foreign Secretary Jack Straw represented Britain.

CNN: Leaders?pay tribute?to?Arafat

This, roughly, is what Sir William Macpherson's report on the death of Stephen Lawrence will tell Jack Straw next week.

ECONOMIST: The riddle of Jack Straw

Sir William was certainly no less responsible (though he was readier to admit it) than was Mr Straw for the inadvertent disclosure of witnesses' names.

ECONOMIST: Debating Lawrence