The Sun has deleted an article from 2003 that allowed people to throw darts at “traitors” such as Charles Kennedy and Robin Cook who opposed the war in Iraq.
The printable cut-out game invited readers to “open fire on traitors” and “score a direct hit on the war wobblers”.
The link now directs to The Sun’s homepage.
The Independent’s Jon Stone tweeted the original email that promoted the piece.
(The full text can be found at the end of this article).
On Thursday the Chilcot Report vindicated the likes of the late Cook and Kennedy after it found the basis for going to war was fundamentally flawed.
Both men made a passionate stand against the invasion and Cook even resigned as Labour Leader of the House in a blistering speech to the Commons in March 2003.
Cook died of a heart attack while walking in the Scottish Highlands on 6 August 2005 and Kennedy died last year at his home in Fort William at the age of 55.
James O’Brien criticised the game on his LBC radio show.
He said: “The Sun has removed from its website a page that invited you to throw darts at Robin Cook because he was a traitor.
“Robin Cook found the courage to resign over this issue, to actually sacrifice his own career. Look at this shower in charge now in both sides of the house and show me a man or a woman who would resign on principle over something their own government were doing.
“Robin Cook could see that it was wrong. I couldn’t. Deep shame, embarrassment, humiliation really. But I was just a bloke. I didn’t even have the privilege of talking into this microphone every morning.
“The people who did, the people who were cheerleading for war, are now backtracking, saying ‘Well I don’t know if I was ever in favour of the war as such’. It’s so insulting.”
The full text of The Sun email reads:
Score a direct hit on the war wobblers with The Sun dartboard, above.
You can aim your own missiles at the cowards and traitors who opted to support Saddam Hussein rather than the brave troops who laid down their lives for freedom.
These are the people wrongly told us that war would last months, the Iraqi people did not want it and many thousands of civilians and coalition soldiers would die.
The Sun’s Roll of Dishonour is headed by barmy George Galloway - dubbed the Labour MP for Baghdad Central - who has constantly supported Saddam. Yesterday he even slammed the phone down on Radio Five Live host, Nicky Campbell after an Iraqi guest on the show praised the Allies for liberating his people.
Galloway, Labour MP for Glasgow Kelvin, also branded Blair and Bush “wolves” for invading Iraq and called on the Arab world to kill British troops.
You can score a bulls-eye by spearing Frech president Jacques Chirac or take aim at Russian president Vladimir Putin who refused to back our Brave Boys and Girls.
Other targets include UN Secretary general Kofi Annan who dithered over sanctioning it and German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who called it “a mistake”.
Closer to home, Robin Cook resigned as Leader of the House and called on all British troops to be brought back home. Health minister Lord Hunt and John Denham, a home office minister, also quit in protest.
Spineless cabinet minister Claire Short said she was against the war then supported it when she realised it would harm her career. Lib-Dem leader Charles Kennedy called the connflict “illegal” then did a U-turn and backed our troops.
Militant fire union boss Andy Gilchrist forced soldiers to cover for striking firefighters instead of preparing for war and rail union leader Bob Crow preached anti-war messages.
Arsenal’s French player Robert Pires said he would go on strike in support of Chirac.
So to give these wobblers a dose of unfriendly fire, simply cut out our dartboard and stick it where there is no chance of collateral damage.
Then launch your missiles.
The Sun has been contacted for comment.