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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Iraq protest lawyer faces inquiry | Iraq protest lawyer faces inquiry |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A Foreign Office legal adviser who quit in protest at the decision to go to war in Iraq is due to give evidence at the inquiry into the conflict. | A Foreign Office legal adviser who quit in protest at the decision to go to war in Iraq is due to give evidence at the inquiry into the conflict. |
| Elizabeth Wilmshurst resigned because she thought the invasion was illegal. | Elizabeth Wilmshurst resigned because she thought the invasion was illegal. |
| Sir Michael Wood, the Foreign Office's former chief legal adviser, is also due to give evidence to the inquiry chaired by Sir John Chilcot. | Sir Michael Wood, the Foreign Office's former chief legal adviser, is also due to give evidence to the inquiry chaired by Sir John Chilcot. |
| Ex-prime minister Tony Blair and former Attorney General Lord Goldsmith will appear later this week. | Ex-prime minister Tony Blair and former Attorney General Lord Goldsmith will appear later this week. |
| Margaret Beckett, former foreign secretary, is also expected to testify on Tuesday. | Margaret Beckett, former foreign secretary, is also expected to testify on Tuesday. |
| 'Safest legal course' | 'Safest legal course' |
| Ms Wilmshurst was the only UK civil servant to resign over the war. | Ms Wilmshurst was the only UK civil servant to resign over the war. |
| On the eve of the conflict, she argued that "an unlawful use of force on such a scale amounts to the crime of aggression". | On the eve of the conflict, she argued that "an unlawful use of force on such a scale amounts to the crime of aggression". |
| INQUIRY TIMETABLE Tuesday: Ex-Foreign Office legal advisers Sir Michael Wood and Elizabeth Wilmshurst will appear, as will former Foreign Secretary Margaret BeckettWednesday: Former attorney general Lord Goldsmith, who advised ministers the invasion was lawful, will give evidenceFriday: Former prime minister Tony Blair will make his long-awaited appearance | INQUIRY TIMETABLE Tuesday: Ex-Foreign Office legal advisers Sir Michael Wood and Elizabeth Wilmshurst will appear, as will former Foreign Secretary Margaret BeckettWednesday: Former attorney general Lord Goldsmith, who advised ministers the invasion was lawful, will give evidenceFriday: Former prime minister Tony Blair will make his long-awaited appearance |
| She is expected to tell Sir John Chilcot that Sir Michael told Lord Goldsmith - the then Attorney General - of his reservations just days before the attack on Baghdad began in 2003. | She is expected to tell Sir John Chilcot that Sir Michael told Lord Goldsmith - the then Attorney General - of his reservations just days before the attack on Baghdad began in 2003. |
| Just before the conflict began, Lord Goldsmith said, in a statement, that authority to use force came from the combined effect of existing UN resolutions. | Just before the conflict began, Lord Goldsmith said, in a statement, that authority to use force came from the combined effect of existing UN resolutions. |
| Yet 10 days earlier he had told the Prime Minister "the safest legal course" would be the adoption of a new UN resolution. | Yet 10 days earlier he had told the Prime Minister "the safest legal course" would be the adoption of a new UN resolution. |
| BBC correspondent Peter Hunt said Lord Goldsmith's evolving views will be examined by the inquiry. | BBC correspondent Peter Hunt said Lord Goldsmith's evolving views will be examined by the inquiry. |
| His appearance will set the scene for the appearance on Friday of Mr Blair, when he is expected to face six hours of questioning. | His appearance will set the scene for the appearance on Friday of Mr Blair, when he is expected to face six hours of questioning. |
| A delegation of protesters plan to give a "people's dossier" of questions to Sir John ahead of Mr Blair's evidence. | A delegation of protesters plan to give a "people's dossier" of questions to Sir John ahead of Mr Blair's evidence. |
| On the same day that Ms Wilmshurst gives evidence, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg is expected to call for greater protection for government whistleblowers. | |
| He will say that had such safeguards been in place in the run-up to the conflict, "Tony Blair and Gordon Brown might have been more openly challenged by officials who harboured real doubts about the war". |