Foreign Office cautioned against UK military action to overthrow Robert Mugabe

Archives reveal options considered by Tony Blair's government for dealing with Zimbabwean dictator in 2004

The Foreign Office cautioned against UK military intervention to overthrow the former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe in 2004, advising it was not a serious option", recently released documents show.

Policy papers show Tony Blair's government weighed up options on how best to handle the depressingly healthy" 80-year-old dictator, who refused to step down while the country descended into violence and economic chaos.