Blair ‘won’t rule out Iraq inquiry’
Tony Blair has said the government “certainly don’t rule out an inquiry” into the Iraq war but stressed now was not the right time.
MPs yesterday voted to reject a motion by the Scottish and Welsh nationalists to launch a select committee investigation into the government’s conduct in the war and its aftermath.
In the Commons debate ahead of the vote, foreign secretary Margaret Beckett said holding an inquiry while British troops were still in Iraq would be bad for their morale, that of the Iraqi people and could also encourage insurgents.
Although she indicated a future inquiry may be a possibility, her refusal to confirm this would be the case led the Conservatives to vote with the nationalists, the Liberal Democrats and 12 Labour rebels to cut the government’s majority to just 25.
However, there was confusion after the vote when defence secretary Des Browne told BBC News 24: “When the time is right, of course there will be such an inquiry.”
Downing Street dismissed his remarks as a “slip of the tongue” and insisted the government’s position had not changed.
During prime minister’s questions today, Mr Blair repeated Ms Beckett’s argument that it was not the time to hold an inquiry. However, he held out the possibility there would be a probe at some time in the future.
“We certainly don’t rule out an inquiry and we said in our own motion [during last night’s debate] that lessons must be learnt,” the prime minister said.
“But this is not the time for such inquiry. I think if the motion had gone through it would send a signal that would have dismayed our coalition allies, it would have dismayed the Iraqi government, it would have heartened all those fighting us in Iraq.”
He added: “It’s important, frankly, that we stand up and fight those in Iraq who are trying to prevent the democratic process taking root.”
Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell repeated his call for a “phased withdrawal sooner rather than later” of British troops from Iraq, and raised concerns that the UK’s strategy was tied to the forthcoming US mid-term elections, where Iraq is a major issue.
Mr Blair rejected his criticisms and said British and American forces were in Iraq with the full support of the United Nations. He quipped: “[The Lib Dems] want to praise the UN when it suits them, but when it doesn’t suit them they ignore it.”
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