Iraq inquiry will come at ‘appropriate moment’
The government will conduct an inquiry into the decision to go to war in Iraq, but only at the “appropriate moment”.
Jack Straw told reporters at Westminster yesterday that the government is prepared to have its policy in Iraq scrutinised.
Mr Straw denied that this represents a u-turn by the government, telling reporters: “I think we have all made clear there will be an inquiry in due course”.
However, the prime minister insisted this week that it would be inappropriate for an inquiry to begin while British troops are on the ground in Iraq and critics fear that any findings will be released too late to bring ministers to account.
Despite Mr Blair’s seeming reluctance for an immediate inquiry, and his refusal to apologise for the ongoing violence in Iraq, Mr Straw insisted he was in step with the prime minister.
“I am perfectly content myself, as someone who was heavily involved in the decisions on Iraq – and I do not resile from those decisions either – to be subject, at an appropriate moment, to an inquiry,” said Mr Straw.
He added: “That goes for the whole of the government, including the prime minister as he has made clear, but there is an issue of timing.”
A Downing Street spokeswoman confirmed: “As the prime minister has already said, there will be a time at which people will want to look at these issues, but now is not that time while our troops are on the ground.”
However, the Liberal Democrats claimed last night that the right time for an inquiry is now.
Leader Sir Menzies Campbell argued: “The appropriate moment is while all the relevant ministers are still in office and the applicable MPs are still in parliament.”
He called for a contemporary investigation into Iraq, warning “an inquiry which proves only to have historical value will not do.”
The Conservatives also called for any inquiry to be established this year, “before memories of events in 2002 and 2003 start to fade.”
Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said “It is vital to learn from the many mistakes that have been made”, welcoming what he termed the government’s “u-turn” over an inquiry.
Addressing MPs in the House of Commons, Mr Straw told government critics that they were welcome to table a motion of no confidence against the prime minister if they wanted to criticise his policy on Iraq.
