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Brown hint on Iraq inquiry move Tories attack Iraq inquiry 'mess'
(8 minutes later)
Gordon Brown would be willing to give evidence in public to the Iraq inquiry if national security considerations are met, his spokesman has said. Gordon Brown has been accused during a Commons debate of making a "monumental mess" of setting up the Iraq inquiry.
The comments came ahead of a Commons debate on the issue in which the Tories are calling for him and Tony Blair to appear in public before the inquiry. Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said the PM had "set out trying to keep it behind closed doors" and said there were still "serious deficiencies".
The Tories tabled the debate after Mr Brown told MPs it would be in private. But Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the inquiry would deliver "insight and value" and deserved support.
Mr Brown has since said some hearings could be open but the opposition has pressed him to give further assurance. He said that while it was not a "trial or impeachment" it would be free to "praise or blame whoever it likes".
"If those considerations concerning national security are met, then of course the prime minister would have no difficulty in giving evidence in public," the prime minister's spokesman said. The Conservatives called the debate after Mr Brown told MPs last week the long awaited inquiry would be in private. He has since said it is up to the inquiry's chairman, Sir John Chilcot, to hold some sessions in public if he chooses to.
'Seriously overdue' 'Utterly cynical'
The Commons debate is now under way and is expected to conclude with a vote at about 1900 BST. But opposition parties and some Labour MPs are pressing for further assurances.
Opening the debate for the Conservatives, William Hague said the reasons the prime minister had given for holding an inquiry in private were "not credible" and said he had changed his approach "when faced with the possibility of a difficult vote in this House". Opening the debate - which is expected to end with a vote at about 1900 BST - Mr Hague, the shadow foreign secretary, said Mr Brown had talked of improving transparency but had produced proposals for a "secretive, behind-closed-doors inquiry".
They need to come to the House of Commons and say it is predominantly public David Cameron class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8114992.stm">Brown denies Iraq inquiry U-turn He added the membership was too restricted while the timing of the inquiry - which is due to report back after the next election - was "utterly cynical and politically motivated".
Now an inquiry that is seriously overdue can't get off to a clean start, it will spend a considerable amount of time adjusting its remit William Hague Brown denies Iraq inquiry U-turn
He added the PM had offered only "unsure" responses to inquiries about whether evidence would be given on oath.
Since then he said the government had "engaged in a series of climbdowns - a U-turn executed in stages" and had relied on Sir John to announce changes, rather than having a minister return to the Commons "and admit that the government were in the wrong".
Mr Hague said the reasons the prime minister had given for holding an inquiry in private were "not credible".
"Now an inquiry that is seriously overdue can't get off to a clean start, it will spend a considerable amount of time adjusting its remit.""Now an inquiry that is seriously overdue can't get off to a clean start, it will spend a considerable amount of time adjusting its remit."
For the government, David Miliband told MPs the inquiry was "not a trial or an impeachment but an effort to learn for the future". He said it would deliver "insight and value" and deserved support. 'Not a trial'
The government has pointed out the Conservatives had been asking for a Franks-style inquiry - a reference to the committee that reviewed the Falklands War - which was partly held in private.
But Mr Hague said several important elements of the Franks inquiry they had been calling for were "completely missing" from the government's plans while the "one attribute" which most people regarded as "no longer appropriate", holding it in private, was "the very one they chose to continue with".
For the government, Mr Miliband told MPs the inquiry was "not a trial or an impeachment but an effort to learn for the future". He said it would deliver "insight and value" and deserved support.
It can praise or blame whoever it likes David Miliband
But he said there was a balance to be struck between "speed and confidentiality" and "comprehensiveness and transparency".But he said there was a balance to be struck between "speed and confidentiality" and "comprehensiveness and transparency".
He added: "It's not a judicial inquiry ... it can praise or blame whoever it likes, it is free to write its own report at any stage." Former former secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind asked him whether, if it wanted to attribute blame, the inquiry should be able to do so.
Mr Miliband replied: "As the prime minister said last week it is not an inquiry that has been set up to establish civil or criminal liability, it is not a judicial inquiry.
"Everything beyond that is within its remit, it can praise or blame whoever it likes, it is free to write its own report at every stage."
'Predominantly public''Predominantly public'
The former international development secretary Clare Short, who resigned as a Labour MP and now sits as an independent after criticising Tony Blair for "half truths" over Iraq, said evidence should be taken under oath.The former international development secretary Clare Short, who resigned as a Labour MP and now sits as an independent after criticising Tony Blair for "half truths" over Iraq, said evidence should be taken under oath.
Announcing the long-awaited inquiry into the run-up, conduct and aftermath of the 2003 invasion last week, Mr Brown told MPs it would be held in private for national security reasons.Announcing the long-awaited inquiry into the run-up, conduct and aftermath of the 2003 invasion last week, Mr Brown told MPs it would be held in private for national security reasons.
But, amid criticism from some military figures and Lord Butler, the author of the last report into Iraq, he wrote to Sir John and told him he could hold some public sessions if he chose to.But, amid criticism from some military figures and Lord Butler, the author of the last report into Iraq, he wrote to Sir John and told him he could hold some public sessions if he chose to.
The important thing is not to confuse government embarrassment with the national interest Sir Menzies CampbellThe important thing is not to confuse government embarrassment with the national interest Sir Menzies Campbell
Sir John replied that he felt it was "essential" to hold as much as possible in public - while protecting national security and the need to get "candour" from witnesses. Tory leader David Cameron said he wanted guarantees that Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Alastair Campbell [Tony Blair's former press secretary] would give evidence in public.
Mr Cameron said his party had been pushing for an inquiry for three years and when the government had finally announced it, they had made a "complete mess of it". Earlier the prime minister's spokesman indicated Mr Brown would be willing to give evidence in public to the Iraq inquiry if national security considerations are met.
"They need to come to the House of Commons and say it is predominantly public, they need a wider membership, they need military experience and they need to guarantee that Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Alastair Campbell [Tony Blair's former press secretary] give evidence in public." "If those considerations concerning national security are met, then of course the prime minister would have no difficulty in giving evidence in public," the prime minister's spokesman said.
A Downing Street spokesman said Mr Brown would cooperate fully with the Iraq inquiry, including giving evidence in public if required but he said it would be up to Sir John to decide who to call as witnesses.
Mr Brown has denied making a U-turn in accepting some of the inquiry could be held in public and has said he wanted the inquiry to have "all evidence that is necessary" including confidential material.Mr Brown has denied making a U-turn in accepting some of the inquiry could be held in public and has said he wanted the inquiry to have "all evidence that is necessary" including confidential material.
He has also pointed out the Conservatives had been asking for a Franks-style inquiry - a reference to the committee that reviewed the Falklands War - which was partly held in private.
Mr Cameron and the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg have met Sir John to discuss the format of the inquiry.Mr Cameron and the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg have met Sir John to discuss the format of the inquiry.
Former Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell said there should be a "presumption" that Mr Blair and other key figures in the decision to go to war should give evidence in public unless national security interests dictated otherwise.Former Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell said there should be a "presumption" that Mr Blair and other key figures in the decision to go to war should give evidence in public unless national security interests dictated otherwise.
"The important thing is not to confuse government embarrassment with the national interest," he said."The important thing is not to confuse government embarrassment with the national interest," he said.