MPs demand public inquiry on Iraq war
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Independent Minds
Gordon Brown risks provoking demonstrations on Britain's streets and proving that he is not serious about improving transparency in politics if he holds an inquiry into the Iraq war behind closed doors, MPs warned yesterday.
The Prime Minister is expected to announce the details of the inquiry, promised by Tony Blair, to Parliament this week. Whitehall sources suggest that the inquiry will be similar to that of the Franks Inquiry after the Falklands war, which was held in private by a group of senior parliamentarians.
But Labour backbenchers plan to publish a parliamentary motion within days calling for the inquiry to be "full and public". It is expected to gain support from dozens of Labour MPs.
The inquiry announcement is already being viewed by Labour backbenchers as an attempt by Mr Brown to win their support after the recent attempt to unseat him as leader. He told them at a meeting last week that he would listen to them more before making decisions.
However, many are already turning on Mr Brown's plan. Mike Gapes, the Labour chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, said that he believed the inquiry "should be held in public as far as is possible". John McDonnell, the MP for Hayes and Harlington, said that an inquiry that was not public "will not please anyone" and would backfire on the PM. "This is an attempt at a fresh start by Mr Brown, but it is typically cautious and a complete miscalculation. All this will do is increase the sense in the public at large that the inquiry is a whitewash," he said.
Ed Davey, the foreign affairs spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, said that Mr Brown would provoke widespread unrest if he closed the doors of the inquiry. "The country will react very strongly," he said. "It is of such great importance to millions that I think we would see demonstrations on the streets."
Senior Government figures fear that a public inquiry would expose matters of national security. They also argue that the inquiry would not hear frank assessments of what happened in the build-up and aftermath to the 2003 invasion, and that witnesses would demand to have lawyers with them, which would slow proceedings down.
Michael Meacher, a former Labour minister, said that while there might be concerns over national security, the likelihood of being confronted with "highly embarrassing" evidence of its role was the Government's real reason for wanting a private inquiry. "The degree of public interest is so huge that blocking access will give the impression that something is being concealed," he said.
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Comments
Unfortunatley the king of them all Tony B. Liar will not be here to face the consequences. Which in turn brings us to corrupt cretins-rats-turning and jumping sinking ships.
While we are on the search for the truth will we ever know the truth behind the death of the gentleman Doctor David Kelly?
Doctor Kelly was murdered but we're not sure by whom. Was it under the orders of Tony B-liar or George-dumb-fk-Bush.
We also know the inquiry into his murder was a whitewash.
Exactly the same thing will happen with this enquiry into the Iraq war. Total whitewash and all lies. Even if it's held in public it will still be all lies. Those responsible will be ducking, diving and destroying any written evidence they find that incriminates them. We also know that long before this enquiry is concluded, Tony B-liar, will be granted a quick US citizenship in order he can duck any war crimes tribunal.
If this disgraceful episode in British history is ever going to be avenged, the entire house of commons members need to be arrested, shipped out and stand trial in Iraq.
All this could be avoided if he cold only listen to others. Even though t was only last week (after the election disaster) he was telling Labour MPs he must change and listen to them more - can he really do it or are we now back to his "business as usual".
Bush claimed that the only reason the US went into Iraq, was to support Blair and Britain: that Blair had been the one who instigated this attack.
Unless he truly has retreated so far into the No 10 bunker that he's lost all touch with reality, almost certainly not, But, given the habitual arrogance of this government, will he care what those few millions think? Probably not ... Brown, and those around him, will probably be gambling that too few people to matter will take the Iraq issue into account when they decide for whom they will vote next time - if they vote at all.
In any case, a full and transparent public inquiry would risk too many reputations of too many people in high places. And those people would rather face whatever the public reaction turns out to be - in this country, in any case, the reaction will probably be less than it deserves to be - then to see the lid really taken off the process that led us to war in Iraq.
Maybe, just maybe, they'll be forced into proceedings in public. But I'm not holding my breath. In any case you can bet that, secret or public, the finding will be that all those in senior positions acted "in good faith", to use that wrung-out phrase, and are therefore absolved of serious criticism. I'm sure that there are many other Huttons who'd happily do the job and bring in the verdict, now that the original one's in retirement. If any are to be thrown to the wolves to try to deflect public ire, it'll be people lower down in the pecking order, or perhaps a sideshow scapegoat, the role that the governors and director-general of the BBC fulfilled so nicely last time round.
One of the privileges of power and status, in the UK as in so many other places despite all the trumpeting about "our great democracy", is a teflon coating; you can get away with things that, at their more mundane level, would destroy the careers and reputrations of ordinary folk.
Be nice to see a teflon-coated democracy rather than a teflon-coated elite. But, human nature being what it is, that seems to be the stuff of dreams .... !
It's got to the stage were if you talk sense, you're considered a nut.
Considering they have decided the findings of the enquery already, in a recession they should just release the findings and save the money. we would hate them no more or less for it. Well I couldn't anyway.
I despair.