Disgraced Communist party boss Bo Xilai loses appeal against life sentence for corruption Former Politburo member Bo Xilai has lost appeal against his conviction and life sentence for corruption and abuse of power Court said disgraced Bo's offences 'caused major damage to the interest of the country and the people' Downfall began when a senior aide defected to a US Embassy and revealed Bo's wife, Gu Kailai, had committed murder of British businessman Disgraced politician Bo Xilai has lost his appeal against his conviction and life sentence for corruption and abuse of power. A court upheld former Politburo member Bo Xilai's convictions for embezzlement, bribery and abuse of power and sentenced to life in prison. State broadcaster CCTV showed Bo in court wearing a black jacket over a white shirt, faintly smiling as he stood flanked by two tall uniformed guards, his uncuffed hands clasped in front of him. Bo, a former party boss in Chongqing, was convicted last month for embezzlement, bribery and abuse of power and sentenced to life in prison The court said Bo's offences 'led to extremely severe social consequences and caused major damage to the interest of the country and the people,' according to the ruling on the case posted on the court's website. The senior politician's downfall began when a senior aide, Wang Lijun, defected to a US Embassy and revealed details of a murder committed by Bo's wife, Gu Kailai. In August 2012 a Chinese court convicted Gu of the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood, whom she was said to have killed with poison in a hotel in 2011 after a business dispute. She was handed a suspended death sentence last year that will probably be commuted to life imprisonment. Bo, who was once tipped for a top role in Chinese government, was then dismissed from his political office and investigated for corruption. His supporters maintain that he is the victim of a political purge. Bo Xilai's downfall began when it was revealed that his wife Gu Kailai was involved in the death of British businessman Neil Heywood Neil Heywood's body was found in a secluded Chongqing hotel in November 2011 As party boss, Bo led a crackdown on what he called mafia activities, but what critics say was in part an excuse to arrest wealthy private entrepreneurs, torture them into confessing to crimes then jail them after summary trials and seize their assets. A prominent lawyer who sought to defend a businessman was put in jail. 'Bo Xilai controlled the police, prosecutors and courts in Chongqing and he cannot avoid responsibility for the wrongful convictions that took place there,' said Li Zhuang, the lawyer who had been jailed in the anti-gang crackdown. 'As long as there is no redress, it's difficult to put a full-stop on Bo's case.' Charges focused on how Bo took £2.1 million in bribes from two business associates, embezzled government funds and abused his power in handling his wife's murder case police chief's defection. Bo fought to defend his reputation as a clean, upstanding model official who rode to popularity exploiting public anger with government corruption. He said he could not be held responsible for crimes that his wife committed without his knowledge and said he was betrayed by his right-hand man. The court rejected Bo's defenses and sentenced him to life in prison on the bribery charges, 15 years for embezzlement and seven years for abuse of power. The final decision is the latest in one of China's most politically charged trials in decades. Today's ruling enables Chinese President Xi Jinping to further unify party leaders who may have been divided over how Bo's fate should be handled and to steer public focus toward the initiatives of the team he leads. Topping the agenda are a meeting of party leaders in November to draw up a blueprint for economic development and an anti-corruption effort that has been the hallmark campaign of Xi's leadership so far. 'Xi Jinping is anxious to put together at least a semblance of unity among the different factions,' said Willy Lam, an expert on Communist Party politics at Chinese University in Hong Kong. He wants to shift the attention of the public and the Western media from something negative to something more positive.