Campaign news

Chilcot Whitewash

30th May 2014

Chilcot Whitewash

It has been announced that the Chilcot Inquiry into the background to the disastrous invasion of Iraq in 2003 will not publish the secret correspondence between Bush and Blair in the run-up to the war.

Labour MP John McDonnell said: “This confirms all the suspicions people had that the inquiry will be a whitewash. Unless there’s full and open transparency the credibility of this inquiry will be completely undermined.”

Paul Flynn, Labour MP for Newport West, added, “It’s a shame it has been going on for so long and they are still unwilling to tell us the whole truth.”

Former Labour MP Andrew MacKinlay described the inquiry as a ‘sham’. He said: “I am not surprised that Chilcot has surrendered. It is a bad, bad day for democracy and justice. The establishment of this country and the security and intelligence services have won again. Truth has lost out. We were lied to as a country time and time again on Iraq. The lies endure.”

Parents of some of the 179 British soldiers who lost their lives have voiced their frustration and anger. Rose Gentle remarked, “I don’t think we’ll get the truth now ...As far as we are concerned Tony Blair is just walking away from this.”

Reg Keys, said last night: “I need to draw a line under this and until I know the whole truth I can’t. It will be an open wound until the day I die.”

Background

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