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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Tories attack Iraq inquiry 'mess' | Tories attack Iraq inquiry 'mess' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown has been accused during a Commons debate of making a "monumental mess" of setting up the Iraq inquiry. | Gordon Brown has been accused during a Commons debate of making a "monumental mess" of setting up the Iraq 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". | 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". |
| But Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the inquiry would deliver "insight and value" and deserved support. | But Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the inquiry would deliver "insight and value" and deserved support. |
| He said that while it was not a "trial or impeachment" it would be free to "praise or blame whoever it likes". | He said that while it was not a "trial or impeachment" it would be free to "praise or blame whoever it likes". |
| 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. | 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. |
| 'Utterly cynical' | 'Utterly cynical' |
| But opposition parties and some Labour MPs are pressing for further assurances. | But opposition parties and some Labour MPs are pressing for further assurances. |
| 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". | 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". |
| 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". | 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 | 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. | 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". | 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". | 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 but will spend an unspecified period of time adjusting its remit - a recipe for confusion rather than clarity." | |
| 'Not a trial' | '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. | 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 most people regarded as "no longer appropriate", holding it in private, was "the very one they chose to continue with". | |
| He called for MPs to be allowed to approve the inquiry's terms of reference, saying it was "unfair" to Sir John to leave him to clarify all the terms and rules. | |
| For the government, Mr Miliband told MPs all parties agreed there was a need for an inquiry adding: "It needs to be comprehensive, independent, not a trial or an impeachment but an effort to learn for the future." | |
| He confirmed it would have access to all Cabinet papers, papers from foreign governments and appeared to confirm it would have access to the original legal advice to cabinet on the legality of the war. | |
| But he said it was "right and proper to leave the discretion" on whether evidence should be given under oath, to Sir John. | |
| However Clare Short, the former Cabinet minister who resigned as a Labour MP over the war and now sits as an independent, and former Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell said Sir John did not have the power to do so and it would have to be decided by MPs. | |
| Ms Short urged a rethink from Mr Miliband, telling him: "It will not be good enough unless evidence is taken under oath." | |
| Mr Miliband said it would deliver "insight and value" and deserved support. | |
| It can praise or blame whoever it likes David Miliband | 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". |
| Former former secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind asked him whether, if it wanted to attribute blame, the inquiry should be able to do so. | 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. | 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." | "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' |
| 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 Campbell | The important thing is not to confuse government embarrassment with the national interest Sir Menzies Campbell |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| "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. | "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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |