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The mother of an RAF pilot killed in Iraq called on Tony Blair today to admit he deceived ministers, voters and soldiers to take Britain to war.
Deirdre Gover, 63, mother of Flight Lieutenant Kristian Gover, will watch the former prime minister's appearance before the Chilcot Inquiry tomorrow.
She wants him to accept he sent British forces to their deaths for a “totally unjustified conflict”.
“I would like him to admit he was bloody well wrong,” she told the Evening Standard. “But he won't — he is never going to do that. I would like him to admit he deceived his Cabinet, his government and the British people. I believe [the inquiry] is totally well-intentioned, but Blair is not going to be held to account. He could wriggle out of anything — he is a very clever man.
“Now he is making a fortune like some film stars — he is like Britney Spears, and maybe he thinks the more publicity the better. I think he should rethink what his faith is to him.
“He has got four children. He sent our sons and daughters [to Iraq] and they died. It was wrong. He bears the major responsibility for that, along with [President] Bush. But Bush is not an intelligent man — Tony Blair is.”
Flt-Lt Gover, 30, died in Basra in 2004 when the helicopter he was a passenger in crashed after returning from a reconnaissance flight. He was a Puma helicopter pilot in 33 Squadron based at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire.
His mother has travelled from her home in Paris to attend the inquiry. She is one of a number of parents of the 179 British military personnel killed in Iraq who have asked Mr Blair to meet them in private after he gives evidence. They believe a brief session would help bring “closure”. They will ask Iraq inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot to pass on a letter requesting the meeting.
Mrs Gover met Mr Blair briefly at the national memorial service at St Paul's Cathedral last October. She ended up frustrated at his insistence that Iraq was better off without Saddam Hussein, and told him he was “wasting my time”.
Mrs Gover said she never heard from Mr Blair at the time of her son's death. The only politician to write to her was Boris Johnson, then Flt-Lt Gover's MP.
“I gather Gordon Brown wrote to every person who had lost someone [in Iraq or Afghanistan]. I had fornicating nothing' from Blair,” she said. “I wrote to him and accused him of being guilty of causing my son's death. I'm bringing the letter with me as I never heard back.
“It was a totally unjustified conflict. It was not approved by the UN. I will never forgive the British government for that.” Of her son's death, she said: “I'm not at all upset now. Kris died serving Queen and country. He took the oath and he did what he was told.”
Colin Redpath, whose son Kirk, 22, died in Iraq in 2007, said Mr Blair should be prosecution if the inquiry finds he lied. Lance Corporal Redpath, of 1st Battalion Irish Guards, was killed with a colleague in a snatch Land Rover.
Mr Redpath, from Rainham, said: “If you are found to be lying and have misled the British public, and we were taken into an illegal war, what I want to know is, will he be tried for this crime? If not, why have this inquiry?”
Reader views (42)
Let's it, Blair was George Bush's poodle and lap dog!!
- Jim Fawcett, Houston, USA, 29/01/2010 02:20
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In Britain some years ago Clinton was interviewed on Channel 4 news and he explained that Blair did not want that Dubya lead the US to invade Iraq on its own, lest all hell break loose. Because, make no mistake, Iraq was going to be invaded by Bush and without the civilising conjoining of the British forces world order would definitely be put very seriously at risk. I'm sure that Blair thought that regime change was a good idea and that the UN was a laughing-stock toothless animal in the eyes of all of those who would seek to destabilize for its own sake, including Bin Laden's mob and Iran to name but two. But no one should have any doubt that Blair believes it was 100% right for Britain to join the US. Even with the chance and the reality of casualties, he believes, as Churchill did, that the death of foreigners, can still be an entirely justifiable reason for the taking up of arms. I don't agree that military force is the only option as a means of trying to civilise the unciviled, but the UN is going to have to start being ten times more determined and effective in dealing with dastardly regimes and regime commanders if the peoples of the civilsed West are going to be able to look forward to a future of global peace and prosperity.
- Barry1858, Welwyn, 28/01/2010 18:30
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blier is good at damaging countries, look what he did to this one with the help of his cronies in the city! i remember seening a photograph of him in the standard in 1997 sitting in a dealing room with that cheesy smile and thought i would never vote for him.
- Paul, britains broke., 28/01/2010 18:21
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So you would have all left saddam in charge? This mess would never of happened had Bush senior done the job properly in 91 it was his little boy going finishing the job for daddy.
Saddam was an evil cruel dicataotor who senyt Millions and iraqis to their death in a war againts Iran and through genocide against the Kurds he deserved to period
- Duncan, Kent, 28/01/2010 17:41
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This inquiry is just yet another farce.
Both Blair and Bush should be tried as war criminals in The Hague and dealt with accordingly because this country is incapable of administering justice fairly.
- Stephen Odonnell, Bexhill, 28/01/2010 17:29
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Well it’s called Governing and we have to trust in that our Prime Minister (at any time) will not send our soldiers to war to get killed on purpose. We (Britain) are in alliance with Global countries in things that most of the public wouldn’t dream of and this have to be done & will continue we have I standing in World eyes.
Nothing is black & white in Government, he made a decision & in some aspects it was the right decision and of course emotions will play heavy when love ones are killed, but it cannot be used when making national decisions. Tony will always be accountable, he made the decision, but why do enjoy tearing things apart when it doesn’t end or reside in the way we thought it would go.
No War can be considered just & fair, too many sides to a story & we shouldn’t think we’re going to get the truth. Politics/Government will never truly be truthful & it cannot be if it’s to function.
Considering this Lady will never forgive the British government or Tony Blair, her attendance & arrogance towards Government duties is just courting publicity.
- Jack, London, 28/01/2010 17:16
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The inquiry is pointless. Did anybody really expect Lord Goldsmith to admit that he was bullied into giving the green light for killing thousands of people? Only person has come out of this with her honour intact and her conscience clean, the Deputy Legal Advisor to the F.O. The rest are self-serving hypocrites who will never admit that they are cowards. As for tomorrow, we can expect an Oscar winning performance from Blair.
- Beatriz, London, 28/01/2010 17:14
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You sad people keep on about official papers being kept secret. What about the papers regarding the Falklands War? Why do you think they have not been released? Could it be that they might finally shed some light on the sinking of the Belgrano? They did not choose to fight in General Galtieri's war, they were conscripted. Our servicemen and women are all volunteers. They enlist because they want to. They know they can be called upon to fight for this country at any time, but that is what they sign up for. My son served in the Falklands War, and both Gulf Wars. Had he been killed whilst serving in the Falklands War, I wouldn't have blamed Mrs Thatcher's government, even though I knew that George Bush Snr had negotiated a settlement with Argentina which Mrs Thatcher refused to sign, before the war even started. She was so gung ho she wanted to prove how strong she was. You talk about Tony Blair being the most hated Prime Minister in history. Not so. That accolade belongs to Margaret Thatcher. See her poll ratings on Google and compare with Tony Blair's. She went to war to avoid defeat at the next election; Tony Blair went to war because he and 49 other countries thought it was the right thing to do and the people of Iraq think he is a saint for freeing them from Saddam.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa, Spain, 28/01/2010 17:02
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Ken and Ricky you sound like really hard men , with great minds , thank God there aren't too many people like you around
- Adam, london, 28/01/2010 16:58
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I find all this tedious, Hitler never killed Germans with chemicals like Saddam, he invaded Poland and because we bought coal from them we went to war the vast majority in the UK thought it was right Churchill was a hero, that was the man the man who was sending our troops to shoot our miners for striking over better conditions, so you are against this war so be it but to say Blair is a liar and mistrust the evidence before you hear it is absurd, I served in the armed forces and was prepared to go and fight that is one of the conditions of signing on the dotted line, I understand parents being upset when one of their children are killed in combat, but this woman's son was killed in a crashed helicopter not by the enemy, I would have been annoyed if my parents had blamed the prime minister for sending me to war when it was my choice to be there, I would have excepted that they would be hurting but complain would have been wrong, if you are anti war that is ok everyone has that right but to try and justify your reason by blaming Blair is wrong there was 49 other countries who's leaders sent troops to Iraq not only Blair and Bush but they seem to be taking all the flack so do some research before making erroneous statements that it was only two leaders who sent their troops to war. next we will be blaming football managers for players getting injured, try and bring yourselves into the real world, 99% of our troops were willing to be.
- Ricky Wiseman, coventry, 28/01/2010 16:34
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From a personal viewpoint I would not be happy for any of my offspring to join the armed forces especially the army. If they were to be killed fighting in an illegal,unjustifiable and in the case of Afghanistan an unwinnable war caused by the sabre rattling lying team of Bush and Blair I would find it very difficult to square that with my conscience,defending ones country from invasion is a different matter altogether,my sympathies are with Kristian Govers family.
- Jacob, Canterbury Kent., 28/01/2010 16:25
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Fred from Kent, even if Tony Blair is told that he led us to war illegally nothing will happen. The people that run this country can do what they like, hence the David Kelly inquest being locked away from the public for 70 years. It is up to us, the British public to get this party out of office. We never voted for Gordon Brown, so why should we have to put up with his spineless leadership. As for Tony Blair never being able to go out alone, as Richard from Hereford said, he seem o.k on his cronies yachts and luxury holiday villas (i.e. Cliff Richards!!) Untouchable there then!!
- Pamela Mckay, Dagenham Essex, 28/01/2010 16:24
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Blair is a vain,crafty, self-important liar.Are he and his greedy,money loving wife a wonderful advert for socialism? I THINK NOT!!It amazes me how these two can call themselves committed Christians. I wonder whether the Pope now regrets receiving this man into the Catholic church.
- Laura, Wandsworth, 28/01/2010 16:23
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If you lie to Parliament to win a vote to go to war, then you must pay.
- Jamal Akhbar, Edinburgh, 28/01/2010 16:20
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Ken from Bromley
Your comment is immature, naive and damm right insulting you i guess have no idea how parents that have lost loved ones in various conflicts feel. All they want is closure and answers, not too much to ask for, after all they died ultimately on our behalf.
- Tim, Shirley UK, 28/01/2010 16:19
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Blair is a war criminal and must be dealt with as such.It is established that the war was ilegal and he must therefore face the consequences of his rather pathetic attempts to be seen as a world statesmen instead of a bought and paid for servant of the United States.Let's see-who pays him?Oh, a US bank.Who employs his son?A US bank.
- Stewart, London, 28/01/2010 16:11
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If Blair was so committed to go to war in Iraq, even lying to do so, why didn't he ensist on his own two boys joining the army? or did he think they were too precious to become cannon fodder? The Blairs haven't shred of credibility and are both ethically and morally bankrupt.
- Jimmy, London England, 28/01/2010 16:03
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how would the blairs feel if there children had been sent to a ilegal war?
- I Told You, chapel-en-le-frith, 28/01/2010 16:02
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Can any one tell me please. IF Tony Blair is found 100% guilty, with no excuses, completely to blame and at fault. WHAT will happen to him? Will he get paid hundreds of pounds for appearing, and told not to do it again? Or just be thanked for giving evidence, and then knighted.
- Fred, Kent, St. Mary's Bay, England., 28/01/2010 15:59
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Ken B, Bromley. Before you post anything like that look at your children and tell them that you don't care if they die and that they should shut up. Your comment is ridiculous, you know why ? Because as long as any army woman or men is concern they taking proud job of defending this country. They sworn to DEFEND not to follow any order. If blindly following orders was the case , there wouldn't be generals deprived of command when totally wrong. Ordinary soldier have no choice , he/she have to obey orders even if his stupid government decided to go to stupid war based on lies. Keep hoping that your comfy armachair is not invaded buy any other army , you might need help of some soldiers.
- A Batki, London, 28/01/2010 15:53
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Apparently Tony Blair has been 'coaching' himself on the answers to give. In my opinion witnesses that are telling the truth dont need to be coached. Blair misled the public, parliament and to some extent the cabinet. Expect him to mislead the enquiry tommorrow.
- Matt, London UK, 28/01/2010 15:42
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Iraq is a sovereign country. We had no right to make war on it whether or not the miserable Attorney General authorised it or not. What is he paid for if he has to scurry over to Washington to get "advice"? I lived in Iraq just before the war and it is difficult to imagine it ever posed a threat to us. If it was a threat Israel could be relied upon to deal with it as it had once before. All our enemies are now within our borders. No airline ticket is necessary to see them.
- Fred, Horsham, 28/01/2010 15:37
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Just remember readers, that Tony Bliar will never be able to go out on his own for the rest of his miserable life, because he will get attacked.
For the crimes he has been accused of surely would get him imprisoned for the rest of his days,or in Iraq the death sentence.
To get him on trial voters must vote away from the corrupt so called main parties, to parties that will bring back hanging for treason.
Just think you may be called to be a juror. think about it.
- Richard Partridge, Hereford UK, 28/01/2010 15:37
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I wouldn't mind but I would say over 50% of the sniping comments here are from people who originally supported this smooth talking lunatic.'Things can only get better' you all sang when he got in.
How wrong you were.
- Eddie, London, 28/01/2010 15:31
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Man CHOOSES to join the armed forces. Armed forces carry out orders of government to go to war. Man dies in war. Man's mother is angry.
What a load of nonsense. Whether this war was unjust or not is a matter of opinion. The fact is he joined up to a an organisation that obeys orders, rightly or wrongly. She should sit down and shut up.
- Ken B, Bromley, 28/01/2010 15:31
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The UK and the US stink of the kind aggression that they like to send other leaders to the Hague for. It saddens me to my heart that my country should have jumped on a new imperial bandwagon (led by an incompetent, bullying and increasingly exhausted USA) when the lessons of colonialism and aggressive/aquisitive war are that they blow back on you tenfold, and over decades to come.
War supporters should just stop and consider how much they would like foreign troops/mercenaries on the corner of every street in their city, killing with impunity. Hypocrisy will be the mill stone around the UK's neck for ages to come thanks to Tony Blair, our supposed ally the US, and the new breed of spineless career MP that passes for leadership in this day.
- Harkadahl, London, 28/01/2010 15:18
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Why does everyone get on the bandwagon over Iraq. Resolution 1441 did not specifically allow or deny military action. It was left totally to individual countries to make their own decision. Our elected leaders decided to go to war I suggest everyone lives with that.
We elect politicians to do what they believe best at the time. Hindsight is such a wonderful thing. What guilt? Why should he feel guilty. He made the decision and that's it. My son has been in the Parachute regiment for 13 years went to war in Iraq in 2003 and again in Afghanistan. He enjoys the work because that's what he joined up to do. If you don't wish to go go to war for whatever reason then don't join the armed services. Don't get upset because you have lost family members. They were doing what they joined up to do. Our servicemen men risk their lives wherever they serve and sometimes they lose. We accepted right at the outset that is what our son would be doing and support him and his fellow servicemen wholeheartedly.
- Simon, Bedford,England, 28/01/2010 15:13
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Kerry, Purley
Mrs Glover acknowledges in the article, if you read it properly, that her son died doing what he signed up to do & has reconciled herself with that. The point she is making is that her son died unjustly & on the back of an egotistical liar driven by power, fame & money. To suggest. as you have, that his death was retribution is cold & heartless. Shame on Mr Blair & shame on you.
- Sb Manc, Manchester, UK, 28/01/2010 15:13
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Blair is repulsiveness personified-but is one of that new breed of political/legal class in this country who realizes that they can do anything and get away with it, thanks to a creeping loss of morality and corruption endemic in the breed. One can only hope that one day justice will prevail and he will face a Court.
- Jon Kent, Hertford. UK, 28/01/2010 15:12
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Bliar should be tried by his European peers in the same court as Milosevic in the Hague. After all, his crimes were committed while representing Great Britain, therefore we should not be involved in the post mortem.
It is not politically correct. It is too insestuous.
- Jon, lon/eng, 28/01/2010 14:56
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The words truth and decency are not in Bliars dictionary.
- Jacob, Kommunist Kent, 28/01/2010 14:45
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get over it, soldiers get killed in war, tragic but inevitable. This pilot wasn't conscripted, he volunteered. It's a shame, but that is all it is, a terrible shame.
Furthermore, he was on active service, which means he was instrumental in causing the death of others, possibly civilians, in this "illegal war" How does this mother square that one?
- Kerry, Purley, 28/01/2010 14:40
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Blair was at least driven to war by some form of loopy messianic righteousness, the likes of Hoon, Straw and Goldsmith are just spineless amoral hacks. Having to listen to their feeble semantics is nauseating.
- Ian, London, 28/01/2010 14:29
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Tony Bliar has brought shame on this country. He should be arrested and charged for war crimes but nobody in this government will allow a prosecution to go ahead. It stinks.
- Simon, London, 28/01/2010 14:27
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How can we nominate Elizabeth Wilmshurst for a nobel peace prize?
- John Mcguiggan, Dublin Ireland, 28/01/2010 14:15
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Can someone please explain why Americans still think Blair is wonderful? No doubt they'll say 'he stood by us', but I certainly wouldn't want a liar as a friend.
- Keith Young, Woking, UK, 28/01/2010 14:11
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The vast amounts of money he is making should be put towards to orphans and homeless children in Iraq. The man is a borne liar unable to tell the truth.
- Richard Buchanan, London England, 28/01/2010 13:55
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Mrs Gover should refer Blair to the War Crimes Tribunal in the Hague and also take out a private prosecution. I am sure Evening Standard readers would willingly contribute towards the legal fees. I would certainly give generously to see Blair behind bars.
- R.F.York, Yorks, UK, 28/01/2010 13:45
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Many readers must be mystified by Goldsmith's need to obtain advice from US lawyers, when the UK government is equipped with highly competent lawyers, all of whom advised that an invasion of Iraq was illegal. Furthermore, it must be comforting for Goldsmith to know, despite his "regret", that Brown's government is constructing every impediment available to frustrate the Chilcot Inquiry's attempts to obtain declassified papers and it would be next to impossible to obtain similar papers from the US government.
- Bingham Macnamara, lymington, hampshire, 28/01/2010 13:40
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Tony Blair is never going to make any admission of guilt for what he has done. Please, please as many people go to Westminster tomorrow with a placard saying simply "War Criminal". Let him know it is PERSONAL. He will still swan round the world with his wife grabbing the big bucks, but at least he will know what the folks back home think of him.
- Jilly, London, 28/01/2010 13:27
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A humble apology to be expected on Friday.
- Dhan Raj, Basildon, 28/01/2010 13:11
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The cost of this inquiry is the tax payers again and will be a total farce / white wash and Blair & his merry band MP's will be allowed to walk away with? full stop and Bush is just the same and both should be charged with war crimes.Its about time the British tax payers / voters where told the truth but I & the public are of the opinion that inquiry is going to be a complete white wash and Blair will walk away from it as the norm?
- Curtis57, Andover Hants, 28/01/2010 13:08
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