BRITISH PRIME minister Gordon Brown has been called to give evidence to the Iraq inquiry after he requested to do so before this year’s general election as “a matter of fairness”, the inquiry’s chairman said yesterday.
The inquiry had intended calling him after the election because it wanted to “stay outside party politics”, though Mr Brown repeatedly said he was willing to appear at any time.
However, an early appearance was demanded this week by Liberal Democrats leader Nick Clegg and the leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party in Westminster, Angus Robertson.
Last night, Downing Street made clear that Mr Brown will strongly defend the 2003 Iraq invasion when he does come before the inquiry led by former top civil servant, John Chilcot – probably in late February, or early March.
“The prime minister is keen to take up the opportunity to state the case why Britain was right to take the action that it did. He has nothing to hide at all. The prime minister welcomes the opportunity to state the case.
“He believes it is a very good opportunity to set out the case and answer any questions that are put to him,” said his spokesman.
The inquiry’s decision to change its timetable means that foreign secretary David Miliband – who did not hold the post at the time of the war – and international development secretary Douglas Alexander will also appear at the inquiry before the election.
Mr Clegg welcomed the decision: “It is well known that the prime minister was a key figure in Britain’s decision to invade Iraq. It is only right that Gordon Brown should explain his role in this disastrous foreign policy failure before asking the British people for their vote.” Up to now, allies of the prime minister have tended to underplay his role in the invasion, even though he was chancellor of the exchequer at the time. However, his decisions about funding the British army and Iraqi reconstruction are likely to feature heavily during the questioning.
Conservative Party leader David Cameron said Mr Brown had questions to answer: “I think he’s made the right decision. If we had had our way, it would have been set up ages ago.”
