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| Chilcot defends long-delayed Iraq inquiry – but sets no date for publication | Chilcot defends long-delayed Iraq inquiry – but sets no date for publication |
| (4 days later) | |
| Sir John Chilcot mounted a robust defence of his embattled Iraq war inquiry, prompting families of those who lost relatives in the conflict to make a renewed threat of legal action to accelerate its publication. | Sir John Chilcot mounted a robust defence of his embattled Iraq war inquiry, prompting families of those who lost relatives in the conflict to make a renewed threat of legal action to accelerate its publication. |
| The inquiry chairman expressed sympathy over “the anguish of the families of those who lost their lives in the conflict”, following weeks of political and media criticism over his failure to set a publication date. | The inquiry chairman expressed sympathy over “the anguish of the families of those who lost their lives in the conflict”, following weeks of political and media criticism over his failure to set a publication date. |
| Chilcot strongly defended the “Maxwellisation” process in which individuals facing criticism are given an opportunity to respond. That process “is essential not only to the fairness but the accuracy and completeness of our report”, he said. He disclosed that the process had identified fresh government documents that had not been submitted to the inquiry and had opened up “new issues”. | Chilcot strongly defended the “Maxwellisation” process in which individuals facing criticism are given an opportunity to respond. That process “is essential not only to the fairness but the accuracy and completeness of our report”, he said. He disclosed that the process had identified fresh government documents that had not been submitted to the inquiry and had opened up “new issues”. |
| Related: Chilcot inquiry: blame will be spread beyond Blair's inner team, sources say | Related: Chilcot inquiry: blame will be spread beyond Blair's inner team, sources say |
| Chilcot, in his statement, suggested that the government and Whitehall were partly to blame, citing delays in requests for classified documents including records of discussions between Tony Blair and George Bush. “This has taken a considerable time. Some documents have been received only this year. The declassification process continues,” he said. | Chilcot, in his statement, suggested that the government and Whitehall were partly to blame, citing delays in requests for classified documents including records of discussions between Tony Blair and George Bush. “This has taken a considerable time. Some documents have been received only this year. The declassification process continues,” he said. |
| Rose Gentle, co-founder of Military Families Against the War, expressed disappointment that no date for publication has been set. “If we get a date, we will know what has happened and we can all move on. They keep coming up with different excuses. It has taken long enough” | Rose Gentle, co-founder of Military Families Against the War, expressed disappointment that no date for publication has been set. “If we get a date, we will know what has happened and we can all move on. They keep coming up with different excuses. It has taken long enough” |
| Asked about resorting to legal action to try to force Chilcot into setting a date, Gentle, whose 19-year-old son Gordon was killed in Iraq in 2004, said: “If this is the only way we can do it, the only move open to us.” | Asked about resorting to legal action to try to force Chilcot into setting a date, Gentle, whose 19-year-old son Gordon was killed in Iraq in 2004, said: “If this is the only way we can do it, the only move open to us.” |
| Lawyers acting on behalf of 29 of the families had set a deadline of 5pm on Wednesday for Chilcot to set a date and said they would proceed with legal action if that deadline was missed. | Lawyers acting on behalf of 29 of the families had set a deadline of 5pm on Wednesday for Chilcot to set a date and said they would proceed with legal action if that deadline was missed. |
| After the deadline expired on Wednesday night, lawyers for the families said they would not take any immediate action. Chilcot is expected to give a firm timetable for the publication of his report in the near future. | After the deadline expired on Wednesday night, lawyers for the families said they would not take any immediate action. Chilcot is expected to give a firm timetable for the publication of his report in the near future. |
| The foreign secretary, Philip Hammond added to the pressure on the inquiry team. “We’re frustrated as anybody by the delays in publication of the Chilcot report but the Chilcot inquiry is and it quite properly must remain, an independent inquiry.” | The foreign secretary, Philip Hammond added to the pressure on the inquiry team. “We’re frustrated as anybody by the delays in publication of the Chilcot report but the Chilcot inquiry is and it quite properly must remain, an independent inquiry.” |
| He added that a decision over whether to extend British airstrikes in Iraq to Syria should not have to await the outcome of the inquiry. | He added that a decision over whether to extend British airstrikes in Iraq to Syria should not have to await the outcome of the inquiry. |
| Related: Chilcot report: we need a publication date by the end of the year | Letter from Shirley Williams | |
| Chilcot’s comments suggested that six years after the inquiry began, he appears to be even further away from completion than had been assumed. He admitted that even at this late stage he was still waiting for final responses from witnesses. | Chilcot’s comments suggested that six years after the inquiry began, he appears to be even further away from completion than had been assumed. He admitted that even at this late stage he was still waiting for final responses from witnesses. |
| “We expect to receive the last responses to our Maxwellisation letters shortly. That will allow us to complete our consideration of the responses, to decide what further work will be needed and to provide the prime minister and thus parliament and the public with a timetable for the publication of our work,” Chilcot said. | “We expect to receive the last responses to our Maxwellisation letters shortly. That will allow us to complete our consideration of the responses, to decide what further work will be needed and to provide the prime minister and thus parliament and the public with a timetable for the publication of our work,” Chilcot said. |
| Chilcot’s statement came the day after the Guardian revealed the inquiry is expanding the focus of its criticism beyond just Tony Blair and his inner team and will include a wide range of ministers, intelligence officers, Whitehall officials and senior military staff. | Chilcot’s statement came the day after the Guardian revealed the inquiry is expanding the focus of its criticism beyond just Tony Blair and his inner team and will include a wide range of ministers, intelligence officers, Whitehall officials and senior military staff. |
| The former Labour Cabinet minister, Clare Short, confirmed on Wednesday she is among those being criticised. She had been sent draft passages of the report, which she described as “very poor”, suggesting the delay was caused by a need for extensive rewriting rather than the Maxwellisation process. | The former Labour Cabinet minister, Clare Short, confirmed on Wednesday she is among those being criticised. She had been sent draft passages of the report, which she described as “very poor”, suggesting the delay was caused by a need for extensive rewriting rather than the Maxwellisation process. |
| Short, interviewed on the BBC’s World at One, said: “I see it and think this means everyone’s to blame, no one is to blame, we won’t get a proper diagnosis and it won’t be helpful in finding out what went wrong with our system.” | Short, interviewed on the BBC’s World at One, said: “I see it and think this means everyone’s to blame, no one is to blame, we won’t get a proper diagnosis and it won’t be helpful in finding out what went wrong with our system.” |
| Short is criticised in the draft Chilcot report over whether the Department for International Development had done enough to help with the reconstruction of Iraq after the invasion. | Short is criticised in the draft Chilcot report over whether the Department for International Development had done enough to help with the reconstruction of Iraq after the invasion. |
| Short, who was international development secretary at the time and who resigned soon after the invasion, said: “I think what might be true is that the draft is very poor and it’s as big as War and Peace, I understand. Lots of people have made serious responses and they are probably having to redraft.” | Short, who was international development secretary at the time and who resigned soon after the invasion, said: “I think what might be true is that the draft is very poor and it’s as big as War and Peace, I understand. Lots of people have made serious responses and they are probably having to redraft.” |
| Philippe Sands QC, an international lawyer who has taken a close interest in the Chilcot inquiry, said: “It appears from what Clare Short has said that the inquiry will say nothing about the legality of the war. That raises a serious concern as to the reliability and authority of any of the findings.” | Philippe Sands QC, an international lawyer who has taken a close interest in the Chilcot inquiry, said: “It appears from what Clare Short has said that the inquiry will say nothing about the legality of the war. That raises a serious concern as to the reliability and authority of any of the findings.” |
| Sands added submissions to the inquiry on the war’s legality pointed overwhelmingly to the widespread belief that the invasion was illegal. “Why has the inquiry not published those submissions? Why is the inquiry not dealing with legality in the face of so overwhelming a response to its request?” he said. | Sands added submissions to the inquiry on the war’s legality pointed overwhelmingly to the widespread belief that the invasion was illegal. “Why has the inquiry not published those submissions? Why is the inquiry not dealing with legality in the face of so overwhelming a response to its request?” he said. |