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Ministers win Iraq inquiry vote Ministers win Iraq inquiry vote
(20 minutes later)
A Conservative attempt to have the inquiry into the Iraq war heard "whenever possible" in public has been defeated by the government. A Tory attempt to have the Iraq inquiry heard "whenever possible" in public has been defeated in the Commons.
Gordon Brown was criticised for saying it should be private but has since said some sessions may be held in public. But the government's majority was cut to 39 votes as MPs rejected the motion by 299 to 260 votes.
But opposition parties and some Labour MPs wanted more guarantees about the extent of public hearings. Gordon Brown initially said the inquiry would be private but has since said some sessions could be public.
They also wanted MPs to decide on the inquiry's terms of reference and called for evidence to be given under oath. But Tory, Lib Dem and some Labour MPs raised concerns about how much would be public, the inquiry's remit and whether evidence would be under oath.
The motion was defeated by 299 votes to 260. A government amendment, welcoming its announcement of the "wide ranging and independent" inquiry, was passed by 305 votes to 251.
The Conservatives called the Commons debate after Mr Brown told MPs last week the inquiry would be in private.
Amid much criticism, he later said it was up to the inquiry's chairman, Sir John Chilcot, to hold some sessions in public if he chose to.
But opposition parties and some Labour MPs wanted further assurances about how much would be heard in public.
Many MPs also said leaving the terms of reference - and issue of whether witnesses should give evidence under oath - to Sir John to decide was "unfair".
They wanted MPs to scrutinise the remit, debate and vote upon it.