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Ed Balls rattles No.10 by backing ‘open’ inquiry into Iraq war
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor17.06.09
Downing Street today insisted the Iraq war inquiry would still be held in private despite Cabinet minister Ed Balls saying it could be more “open”.
The schools secretary threw No.10 into a panic when he suggested in a TV interview that his “personal view” was that the Iraq inquiry should be accessible to the public.
As former military and intelligence chiefs criticised the secret nature of the investigation, the Prime Minister's spokesman said his view had not changed and that Gordon Brown wanted to publish the Iraq report in as full a form as possible, disclosing all but the most sensitive security material.
He said: “Our objective here is to get to the truth and have an effective inquiry so we learn the lessons.
“You can only do that by being in a position where people are able to speak frankly and candidly and can be questioned on sensitive national security material.”
Mr Balls told ITV's This Morning: “If you're asking my personal view, I'd prefer it to be as open as possible.”
He also said he was confident Mr Brown “looked into this in great detail” before making a decision, but that it was important for generals, officers and ministers to feel they could give “very open” evidence.
The minister later insisted he was in favour of allowing the public to give evidence to the inquiry, rather than making it fully public.
Mr Balls also suggested Tony Blair failed to examine the case against Saddam Hussein closely enough.
“We ought to have tried for longer and harder to get [Saddam Hussein] to open up,” he said. “We should have taken longer to find the evidence.”
Today General Sir Mike Jackson joined former director of public prosecutions Sir Ken Macdonald and former intelligence bosses in urging Mr Brown to listen to the public's desire for more openness.
A total of 179 British servicemen and women have died in Iraq since the conflict began in 2003.
General Jackson, head of the Army during the invasion, said he would have no problem in giving evidence in public.
He said Mr Brown's decision to hold the proceedings in private fed “the climate of suspicion and scepticism about government” and that he ought to consider requiring witnesses to give evidence on oath.
“I do not see why it could not have gone for a halfway house with sessions in public and then having private hearings when it comes to intelligence,” he told The Independent.
“They do have to look at the intelligence Blair used in the run-up to the war ... which at the end turned out to be fool's gold.”
Air Marshal Sir John Walker, the former head of defence intelligence, said: “There is only one reason that the inquiry is being heard in private and that is to protect past and present members of this Government. There are 179 reasons why the military want the truth to be out.”
A serving senior officer who was deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan said: “One thing I do remember is how urgent procurement orders were delayed and delayed because the Government wanted to pretend it was still following diplomatic channels.
Sir Ken said Mr Brown's decision was “a depressing indication that he hasn't yet grasped the damage these events cause to the relationship between the public and their government”.
Reader views (14)
M.O'Brien, london.uk - methinks you have the makings of a politician - or a lawyer. Such careful wording is a delight to see in 'mere plebs'. It should also suggest to the jokers who actually depend on such utterances on a daily basis that there are just one or two (or three or four - more -) of the public who can actually understand them and see through their smoke and mirror expressions.
- Rogan, Irving
This is covered in Mandy Foy's fingerprints.The little monkey has been quiet recently.
- Tithonus, Athens Greece
on the face of it, it's a grand stance, but given the duplicity of politiceans, one is tempted to speculate what his ulterior motive might be and what he's actually angling for.
given that i'm a cynical old fatherless child when viewing the machinations of such slippery creatures i'd be tempted to consider that he has long term views to positioning himself for future reference.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk
Looks like "Look at me I'm suggesting what you've been demanding for years now" Eddie boy is making his play for the hot seat after all.
- Rogan, Irving
Ted from London - don't count on it. His comment is simply another example of the total confusion within the current cabinet. Ball's is still being "on message" in relation to Brown's statement last week about "openness and transparency". He hasn't yet realised that this was "last weeks" message. This week Gordon has dithered AGAIN, and changed his mind AGAIN. Don't worry, Ed will catch up soon.
- Malcolm, London
Listen you guys, your Prime minister has spoken, this enquiry is in private, how dare you question his authority, you are going to be the death of him, he has had tons of problems lately, thieving Members of parliament, bad EU results, Cabinet members resigning, the Guy does not Know which way to turn, he is now surrounded by unelected people in the Cabinet, he is even unelected himself, Mandelson is evermore taking charge, he is being pressured into a Election by another load of thieving bandits promising the earth to all that are gullible, I think Lobotomies all round might help, I can only think this is just a nightmare, and we are all going to wake up downtrodden peasants of the Soviet European Union!!!, pass the gruel brother.
- David Crocket, Bradford UK
Looks like Ed's found some at last.
- Ted, London
As always in these type of enquiries the general idea is to make a lot of promises to the public about openness and transparency, with the unstated intention of hiding the truth at all costs. Politicians never learn..... It is always the cover up that gets them into trouble...
- Mikey, Crossville, Tennessee. USA
Brown just can't stop himself. So much for new open government. He is just looking to blow this under the carpet as this government has all other enquiries of late.
- Val, Costa Del Sol, Spain Because Briton Is Horrible Under Labour, London
Air Marshal Sir John Walker says "There is only one reason that the inquiry is being heard in private and that is to protect past and present members of this Government." - need anyone say more about this totally bankrupt government and it's completely incompetent leader Gordon Brown.
Can't wait to see Keith from Luton and Val from Mijas (Spain) justify this deplorable decision to hold the enquiry in private. Where's Brown's new committment to openness and transparency now???
- Malcolm, London
did anyone expect anything different from brown only a cover up
- Anon, leicestershire
The enquiry the People were after is not the one, which analyses the abilities of our armed forces, secrete service and other such areas. After all they only carried out the orders or provided the information for analysis.
The enquiry was expected to be just about the Political decision making process that warranted so many of our young service personnel risking and giving up their lives. The only security risk there is that our politicians are shown for what they are.
- Ian, Reading, England
Labour MPs 'threatening to rebel' once again ... I won't hold my breath! They're a bunch of lily-livered cowards.
- Marianne, SW France/London
After a disastrous European Election and the fall out from the MPs expenses scandal, Gordon Brown is still on the rope as the investigation into the war in Iraq threatens to be yet another PR disaster. Protestors and opposition fear the same tactics that got us into the war in the first place will play out again. Is Brown just another ‘Soul Trader’? In my book I uncover the Seven Sins of Spin – historically political spin doctors and unscrupulous marketers have used the same basic propaganda tactics. Here it’s ‘The Big Lie’ which is continually repeated until the public begin to believe the account. This continues even if on close examination the story can’t be fully substantiated – the only steadfast rule is that it must contain a grain of truth that’s just credible enough to make the account plausible. Sound familiar? Iraq could deploy WMDs within 45 minutes. Need I say more?
- Jonathan Gabay, London
