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Gordon Brown today ruled that an official inquiry into the Iraq war will be held in secret — sparking an outcry from families of the 179 British personnel killed.
The length and complexity of the investigation means it will not be finished until after the general election.
Mr Brown told the Commons today that the probe will have unprecedented scope to discover “lessons to be learned”.
It will cover an eight-year period from summer 2001 to the present and the inquiry team will be free to examine any aspect of the run-up, operations and British government activities.
Mr Brown told the Commons: “The inquiry is essential so that, by learning lessons, we will strengthen the health of our democracy, our diplomacy and our military.
“The inquiry will, I stress, be fully independent of government.
“The scope of the inquiry is unprecedented ... The committee of inquiry will have access to the fullest range of information, including secret information.”
Government officials said the Premier turned against a public inquiry after seeing the shambles of the Bloody Sunday inquiry that has spent six years examining the 1972 shootings without a conclusion.
Mr Brown said private sessions meant evidence would be “as full and candid as possible”.
He promised the team would see any evidence it wanted — except American government documents that are not volunteered. “Their investigation can range across all papers all documents and all material,” he said.
“No British document and no British witness will be beyond the scope of the inquiry.”
He said the report would reveal “all but the most sensitive information”.
The chairman will be Sir John Chilcott, the former chief civil servant in the Northern Ireland Office, regarded as an expert on intelligence matters. He commands cross-party support.
No party politicians will be on the inquiry. The other members are Baroness Usha Prashar, a crossbencher, Sir Roderick Lyne, a former diplomat and aide to John Major, and historians Sir Lawrence Freedman and Sir Martin Gilbert.
But Rose Gentle, whose son Gordon was killed in 2004, said she would protest in Downing Street unless the evidence was heard in public.
She said: “What's the point of an inquiry behind closed doors? No family would be happy with that. We don't want any more lies.”
Reader views (47)
If Brown`s intentions were to hold this enquiry in private all along, then why did it not begin its work ages ago. It would not have mattered one jot that we still had troops in Iraq. Brown`s cynicism to time the release of the committee`s findings not until after the General Election beggars belief. But then we have come to expect nothing less from this man.
- B Gare, Norfolk Gorleston
The absolutely gob smacking thing about Gordon Brown is that he genuinely thinks people are still taking him and his Novelty Self Shuffling Cabinet seriously! He's better hope that we don't suddenly loose our sense of humour!
- Derrick, A Once Great Land
THIS COUNTRY WILL NEVER EVER AGAIN
BE WHAT IT ONCE WAS.
* GREAT *
THE SHAME OF IT ALL, IS THAT
MEN,WOMEN AND CHILDREN WERE SENT TO WAR
TO BE KILLED SO NEEDLESSLY
TO DIE, ON A LIE
JUST WHAT FOR?!
LETS HAVE THE WHOLE STORY
IN PUBLIC NO MORE SECRETS LIES
IN DARKEN CORRIDORS,DEALS AND SMILES
IT A DISGRACE, SCANDAL
IN THIS SO CALLED TRANSPARENCY SOCIETY,
NOW IS THE TIME SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE.
WE THE PEOPLE BAND TOGETHER MUST MAKE A STAND
THIS DANGEROUS MAN CALLED 'PRUDENCE' IS JUST A CLOWN
NEVER HAD A CLUE OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
IT IS CLEAR FOR ALL TO SEE
TO TAKE TO THE STREETS IT HAS TO BE.
IT CANT GO ON PEOPLE ARE CYING
PEOPLE ARE ACHING AND PEOPLE ARE DYING
DROWNING IN OUR CONSTANT TEARS,
THROUGH OUR WORRY'S ARE CONSTANT FEARS......
BY UNKUTTDIAMOND:
If the people who have read my many poems and writings over the passed few week,
and their are many:
Would like me to read them at an event:
Please comment.
- Unkuttdiamond, London
Gordon Brown, you are and will be a big disappointment. This secret official inquiry demonstrated why you continue to be a BIG disappointment and failing the public and voters. Why bother holding a secret official inquiry.
- Max, Isleworth
Nobody in this rabble of a government is fit to lecture ANYONE about democracy.And doesn't Brown demonstrate the same arrogance and hypocrisy as his former boss,when he gives the parents of our young soldiers killed in an illegal war of aggression...a public slap in the face....and a private inquiry.
- A Macmillan, Volos Greece
An indepenadent inquiry - "except American government documents that are not volunteered".
-Would these be the same CIA documents that showed that certain government ministers had a petulance for little boys, and that the Blair government was being blackmailed into supporting the war ?
-surely not ?
- Clive Allen, Brighton, UK
Brown should be kicked out. He should never have been let slip in UNELECTED. Shame on Britain.
- Phil, Islington, London
your man brown is hell bent on committing political and moral bankruptcy, having already created fiscal bankrupcy for the country and his own political party.
how apprpriate that they choose that colour for their party.
it isawhitewash in the making, awaste of time and money and blatent tokenism. like aquestion with printed multi choice answers the outcome is ensured in blair, brown, straw, hoon, scarlet and all other accolytes favour.
it;s a cop out and another reason not to vote labour ever again, if another one was needed at all.
the blue types will be no better and as for the yellow jobs (just a talking shop and a very damp one at that.
pity the country and the rude mechanicals who pay their taxesand are ground into the dirt by those that should be icons of moral rectitude and positive role models for all to aspire to.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk
Gordon Brown survives leadership crisis and promises to "listen". A few days later, Gordon Brown decides an Iraq War enquiry will be held in secret.
Meanwhile David Milliband, laughingly described as 'Foreign Secretary', lectures Iran about democratic principle, while the government he represents fills its ranks with unelected peers such as Glenys Kinnock.
We can learn a swift lesson from the Iranian people by getting out in the street and kicking off until this nauseating, traitorous rabble has been wiped out of Parliament, hopefully for ever.
- Charlie Jordan, London, England
No trust in Brown,none at all.Witnessing the enquiry unfold is the whole point of having one.Not after Brown has been kicked out reading a public edition of the report,some 12months from now.Secret information can easily be dealt with confidentially without detracting from the inquiries objectives.The original idea was to show the Government's willingness to restore trust with the British people through transparency,within their term of office!! Fat chance!!A disgrace,no respect for those who gave their lives fighting this political war.Yet another act which confirms this PM and PLP are unfit.
- Tithonus, Athens Greece
Mr Brown does not seem to be capable of learning any lessons. The expenses row kicked off because most of the MPs (from all parties) tried to hide the truth. The truth when it finally came out showed the MPs looked even worse because they had tried to hide the truth. For years we have been fighting for an open inquiry into the Iraq war - by making it a private inquiry Mr Brown has just given himself and the Labour party a dreadful own goal - now we know there is something to hide.
He should either of left things as they were or ordered a public inquiry!
- Andy, london
it is fairly obvious that a public enquiry could not be comprehensive as so musch of the intelligence gain could not be submitted for security reasons...
- Martin_Clerkenwell, london
Our finest young men are being killed for no reason as the country becomes less recognisable on a daily basis.
Keep your kids out of the armed forces.
- Jimfred, London UK
Who's he kidding? We know all about you Brown. Nothing you can say or do will change anything. Hold your whitewashed years-to-late inquiries into whatever you like behind closed doors or right out in the street. You are doomed, finished, a busted flush. We hate you for what you have done to this country.
- Judith C, London, England
So Fagin and his merry band of pickpockets will now try to bury the truth about the Iraq war (which was little more than Blair's vanity and a bid to show how much he was like Maggie Thatcher)
I do believe, following recent events, that Brown may be far worse than even Blair in the honesty department.
- Kris, London
So now the final insult to British families, a complete stitch up, the out come already decided and delivered by a Labour toady, delivered when the election is over so the people responsible for an illegal war, the lies told etc just walk away free. Blair muct be laughing all the way to the bank.
- Alan Davey, London UK
Does this man no how to be open.We asked for a open inquiry He told us he was going to be more open he even told us he was listening.
- Dave Smith, Croydon
We know the saying " you can fool all the people some of the time,and some of the people all the time".
- David., Chertsey.UK.
Didn't the gormless person known as our PM wriggle and wriggle in Parliament today, even from attacks made by his own side. So much for openess, with an enquiry held in private.
What does this show to our brave men and women, killed or injured and their families.
Brown is a disgrace, as is his predecessor.
- Brian, Llandudno. North Wales. U.K.
Brown really is a piece of work. This inquiry will be a sham - and the real reason why we went to war - sold on a pack of lies by Blair - will never be revealed. Disgusting.
- Ollie, bromsgrove
Gormless Brown has just stated that this inquiry "will take one year".
He further stated that the inquiry will be "independent".
He failed to confirm how much taxpayer's cash this "independent" inquiry will cost.
"INDEPENDENT" inquiry?
Gormless Brown does not know how to spell the word "independent".
It will be about as "independent" as the Independent Police Complaints Commission (funded by the taxpayer).
Gormless Brown is a complete and utter waste of space, time and money.
The sooner Brown grabs his GBP2,100,000 pension pot and clears off back to Scotland, the better it will be for democracy in the UK.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe UK
No surprise at that then? But there is light at the end of the tunnel. If we ALL vote against Labour at the next General Election and, if the enquiry into the Iraq debacle will not be available until after Brown is chucked out of Downing Street, then the CONSERVE- ative Party can put it into public view. Between the two we should be able to bury this nasty party for good. Dead man walking to his doom Brown,
- Albert Hall, hove england
Well, there's another huge reason not to vote Labour. The delivery of gallons of whitewash does nothing but deepen our suspiscions.
Can the Tories please make it part of their manifesto to hold an OPEN ind INDEPENDENT inquiry? And for good measure, promise to arrest Blair and send him off to the Hague, if the truth is as bad as we suspect it might be?
- Nigel, London
tony blair george bush and brown should be tried at the haig for war crimes like the expenses scandal keep it all secret fro joe muggs the public and we will get away with a white wash i dont think so mr browns days are running out just like iran we want rid of this government it is so un democratic it would bring tears to a glass eye you cant hide for ever mr brown you and all your cronies are responsible for the thousands of deaths of innocent people in iraQ you told the coutry a pack of lies everyone new there was no weapons of mass destruction but our bannana government went ahead to appease george bush a man who could harky string a sentence together without getting confused and mumbled,
- James Fennessey, london
This is "the final nail in the coffin" for Crash Gordon!
The inquiry MUST be an "Independent Public Inquiry" to be of any use to anyone.
Perhaps Gordon is still covering for Tony Bliar and is scared that when the truth eventually gets out his old boss will finally need to be held to account?
Not surprising then that Crash Gordon wants the official inquiry into the Iraq war will be held in secret now is it?
This is likely to turn out worse than "MP's expenses" scandals when the facts about what happened leading up to Britain's invasion of Iraq eventually reaches the public domain.
Let's hope that there are some honest people about, who actually "care about Britain" and are prepared to leak the details to the media!
- Fraser, Telford Park
He wants to be able to say, "I have a moral compass: we are having an enquiry," but he doesn't want to risk any embarrassing headlines before the election. How typical of the coward Brown.
- Ian, London
How can anyone in their right minds compare tony blair and george w bush to Roosevelt and Churchill!!? Is this man comparing the events of the Second World War to the squalid self-aggrandisement of a pair of political pygmies in Iraq!!? I can see already what the result of this inquiry will be!
- Chris, Brighton, England.
Will in tell the truth or will it be the usual fudge. Will it tell the fact that the Brits left Basra to the US. Will it tell the facts like the Brits scuttled out short of manpower and equipment.
- Jim, London
Surely the secrecy is trying to hide the guilt. If they had nothing to hide, they would tell people the truth.
- Cat, essex
Verdict of so-called enquiry:
New Labour are great, no one did anything wrong.
There, i just saved millions in QC fees.
- Undercover Elephant, Dole Farm, Crays Hill, Essex
More wasted money, a goldfish would be able to predict the outcome.
Roll on the general election.
- Staker, London
Waste of money, we know Bliar lied and Liebore keep on lying.
- Wen, Oxfordshire, England
May I suggest that whichever party is in power in 13 months, publically NOW commit to making the enquiry FULLY open.
If all the opposition parties did this it could A/ pressure McClown into doing the same and B/ we might actually find out something useful.
Saving KP the trouble...
Keith Price of Luton - Well done Gordon Brown another triumph. Please defend our right to be lied to and kept in the dark over major decisions by people we pay for. I for one want to be treated like a Mushroom Kept in the dark and fed poo! Thank you Labour! - luv and kisses Keith.
It's a service I tell you!
- Ethan, UK
Open government did not last long
- Jeremy E, Home Counties
Another whitewash in a bid to divert attention from the expenses scandal. Sorry Gordon - the electorate are not fools. We want the Westminster cesspit emptied of corrupt MPs and all their ill-gotten gains returned to the public purse.
- R.F., Yorks, UK
Another weapon of mass deception. Between this and expenses how many MP's will be 'overcome by stress' whilst walking their dogs? Brown's arrogance is quite astounding, the belief that the public should be told what is decided is good for them, along with anything that warrants a referendum elsewhere, simply beggars belief. This is not his personal fiefdom, he is prime minister, not king, not head of state, not president but prime minister only!
- Ian, London
Brown's committment to listening and learning didn't last very long did it ? This man is a complete waste of space and the sooner he goes the better for us all. Idiot!
- E.Nuff, London
Obviously this is to deflect public attention. Sadly have to assume it will be the same as every other one of this Government's enquiries, a WHITEWASH. Alternatively he could follow the screenplay for "the trial of Tony Blair".........
- Mark, London
"expected to follow the model of ... which was held in private". Another whitewash and waste of taxpayers' money! Brown has to make sure the public don't find out the hows and whys of Blair's lies and deceit in getting the U.K. into the Iraq war. This demonstrates exactly what is wrong with Brown and New Labour -- they don't trust the British people.
- Phil Jones, London UK
What else would you have expected from these war criminals.
Absolutely Disgusting!
- Mrs, London UK
I wonder if he'll speak to the mothers whose children were slaughtered by the US/UK illegal invasion? Will he consider that the overwhelming majority of the British people said "no" to his stupid war? Brown is a Bilderberg puppet - a wind-up doll for the banksters.
- Neil, London, London UK
Waste of time and money. The public will have their say on the Iraq war, the economy and MPs' expenses in about 11 months. Sooner, if possible.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one
"Breaking News"?,-more like breaking wind !
- Jacob, Canterbury Kent
A complete waste of time, more smoke and mirrors.
- Dee Jay, Fleet Hampshire
What a waste of time, effort and money. I can already predict that none of Labour's politicians will be found guilty of any impropriety, not because they acted in accordance with the law, but because they are Labour members.
- David Davies, Basingstoke, Hants
Gormless Brown needs to save his breath.
It would be as well to ask the Wombles to investigate this illegal war.
Joe Public can tell you the outcome of this expensive inquiry - IT WILL BE A GLORIFIED WHITEWASH.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe UK
I would sooner we saved the money it is just another whitewash
- Maz, London W5
