The one man supporting a private Iraq inquiry: Alistair Campbell
By Ian Dunt
Gordon Brown has finally found an ally in his struggle to keep the Iraq inquiry secret: former spin doctor Alistair Campbell.
Mr Campbell, who was cleared of wrongdoing in the run-up to the war by the Hutton inquiry, said critics of the war had already made up their minds and the shape of the inquiry would make no difference.
“You’re probably not going to like what I’m going to say because there have been several inquiries on this and those who are critical of the government’s policy on Iraq will only accept the finding of any inquiry that says the government was wrong,” he said at a fund-raising party for the Journalists’ Charity at the House of Commons.
“So, for example, the Hutton inquiry, which completely cleared the government: you didn’t want to hear it.”
He continued: “It frankly won’t make any difference to [critics of the war] whether it’s public or private because they’ve decided, they have made their minds up: they’re critical of the government whatever comes out.
“The question then becomes whether you genuinely want to have an inquiry which finds out exactly what happens and that tries to learn lessons.
“On balance Gordon has probably made the right decision but it is not a straightforward decision. Unless it is black and white, the modern media can’t cope with it.”
Mr Campbell was director of communications during the build up to war and became a focal point of anti-war anger for his prominent role in the push for conflict.
His is a lone voice in the increasingly angry debate on Mr Brown’s suggestion for a private inquiry. Various military chiefs, former prime minister John Major, both Lords of previous Iraq inquiries and children’s secretary Ed Balls have all said the inquiry should be made public.
Mr Balls later muddied the water, however, by suggesting he meant the public should be allowed to give evidence rather than that the inquiry should be made public.
