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| David Cameron pushes Chilcot for Iraq report: 'We want this inquiry finished' | David Cameron pushes Chilcot for Iraq report: 'We want this inquiry finished' |
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| David Cameron has added to the pressure on the chairman of the Iraq inquiry, Sir John Chilcot, to set a timetable for publication of the long-delayed report into the war. | David Cameron has added to the pressure on the chairman of the Iraq inquiry, Sir John Chilcot, to set a timetable for publication of the long-delayed report into the war. |
| The prime minister’s expression of impatience comes after a week in which Chilcot has faced the most sustained criticism yet over failure to produce a report. The inquiry, ordered by then prime minister, Gordon Brown, began in 2009 and completed hearings in February 2011. The inquiry has so far cost around £10m. | The prime minister’s expression of impatience comes after a week in which Chilcot has faced the most sustained criticism yet over failure to produce a report. The inquiry, ordered by then prime minister, Gordon Brown, began in 2009 and completed hearings in February 2011. The inquiry has so far cost around £10m. |
| Cameron wrote to Chilcot in January pressing him to publish the report before the May election but that plea went unheard. Speaking on Friday, Cameron said: “It’s frustrating. We want this inquiry finished. It’s for the good of the families. It’s for the good of the country.” | Cameron wrote to Chilcot in January pressing him to publish the report before the May election but that plea went unheard. Speaking on Friday, Cameron said: “It’s frustrating. We want this inquiry finished. It’s for the good of the families. It’s for the good of the country.” |
| The prime minister added: “People want to know the truth. They want this inquiry out and so do I.” | The prime minister added: “People want to know the truth. They want this inquiry out and so do I.” |
| One of the witnesses to the inquiry shared the prime minister’s sentiment. “You can’t go on forever,” he said. “You can’t have endless exchanges with those involved. In the end, there will be differences of opinion.” | One of the witnesses to the inquiry shared the prime minister’s sentiment. “You can’t go on forever,” he said. “You can’t have endless exchanges with those involved. In the end, there will be differences of opinion.” |
| The witness added he did not expect Chilcot to rule the invasion illegal, even though a Foreign Office legal adviser at the time, Elizabeth Wilmshurst, in 2003 advised that it would be without a second United Nations resolution. | The witness added he did not expect Chilcot to rule the invasion illegal, even though a Foreign Office legal adviser at the time, Elizabeth Wilmshurst, in 2003 advised that it would be without a second United Nations resolution. |
| The focus of the inquiry is also on whether Tony Blair gave a commitment backing military action to the then US president, George W Bush, much earlier than he has admitted. | The focus of the inquiry is also on whether Tony Blair gave a commitment backing military action to the then US president, George W Bush, much earlier than he has admitted. |
| Publication of the report was initially held up by a refusal of senior British civil servants to hand over minutes of conversations between Blair and Bush. Further delays have followed as Chilcot gave witnesses criticised in the report an opportunity to reply. | Publication of the report was initially held up by a refusal of senior British civil servants to hand over minutes of conversations between Blair and Bush. Further delays have followed as Chilcot gave witnesses criticised in the report an opportunity to reply. |
| Blair’s former attorney general Lord Morris of Aberavon told the BBC on Friday that the delay was a disgrace and called for a parliamentary debate on the issue in an effort to speed up publication. He said the prime minister “could pull the plug if parliament gives a decision”. | |
| He added: “It’s parliament ultimately that is the guardian of independence, if an inquiry of this kind shows no sign of resolving itself.” | He added: “It’s parliament ultimately that is the guardian of independence, if an inquiry of this kind shows no sign of resolving itself.” |
| Sir Menzies Campbell, former Liberal Democrat leader, also told the BBC that support was ebbing away. “Sir John should give a general indication of when he’s likely to publish,” Campbell said. “I find it very difficult to see why he won’t do that.” | Sir Menzies Campbell, former Liberal Democrat leader, also told the BBC that support was ebbing away. “Sir John should give a general indication of when he’s likely to publish,” Campbell said. “I find it very difficult to see why he won’t do that.” |
| A spokesman for the Iraq inquiry said a timetable for the report would be provided once the process of contacting all those criticised had been completed. | A spokesman for the Iraq inquiry said a timetable for the report would be provided once the process of contacting all those criticised had been completed. |
| The Independent reported this week that several inquiry sources were furious over the pressure to publish, claiming there was a British political establishment plot to smear the inquiry. | The Independent reported this week that several inquiry sources were furious over the pressure to publish, claiming there was a British political establishment plot to smear the inquiry. |
| The Telegraph reported that members of the inquiry team threatened to resign en masse rather than give in to pressure and publish an incomplete report. An inquiry spokesman neither confirmed nor denied whether anyone had threatened to resign. “No one is planning on resigning,” he said. | The Telegraph reported that members of the inquiry team threatened to resign en masse rather than give in to pressure and publish an incomplete report. An inquiry spokesman neither confirmed nor denied whether anyone had threatened to resign. “No one is planning on resigning,” he said. |