Sir John Chilcot has published his long delayed report on Britain's involvement in the planning, invasion and aftermath of the 2003 Iraq War. Live reaction as we get it.
06 July 2016
Blair blames Saddam
Blair denies making a decision on Iraq at Crawford in Texas at a meeting with President Bush, and pushed “a reluctant US administration” to comply with the UN.
The final choice was made after 6 tests, which Saddam Hussein should’ve have complied with, he says. “If he had passed, it wouldn't have gone into military action.”
Blair pleads 'good faith'
"The world was and is in my judgment, a safer better place without Saddam Hussein,” Blair adds.
He says “there was no secret commitment to war” and that “the decision was made in good faith”
He also acknowledges the criticisms made in the report, despite not agreeing with them
Blair takes 'full responsibility'
Tony Blair says the decision to go to war in Iraq “was my hardest” decision as prime minister.
He says he expresses “sorrow” and “regret” for the death toll of the war, but adds that he disagrees with people who say the British invasion led to the circumstances in the Middle East today.
Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell re-posts his verdict on Iraq from 2003
‘Mistakes yes, but no lies’: Spin doctor Alastair Campbell responds to Chilcot
Alastair Campbell, who was Tony Blair’s head of communications in the run up to the Iraq war, said the “sexing up of intelligence never happened,” in light of the Chilcot Report.
Campbell has been widely seen as exaggerating a crucial dossier in September 2002, which subsequently led to the UK invading Iraq.
The broadcaster also commended Blair for his decisions, and said if anything the former prime minister tried to avoid going to war.
“Far from seeing someone hell bent on war, I saw someone doing all he could to avoid it,” Campbell said.
“Far from seeing someone undermine the UN, I saw him trying his hardest to make it work. Far from seeing someone cavalier about the consequences of war, I saw someone who agonised about them, and I know he still does, as do all who were there, part of his team.”
Campbell continued to defend his former boss, stating that “there is a difference” between him and other politicians and how Blair felt “agonies” over the death toll of British troops and Iraqi civilians.
“For all the faults in Iraq today, a world without Saddam and his sons in charge of Iraq is a better and safer world, and those who gave their lives to make it happen did not, in my view, die in vain,” he added.
On “mistakes” from the war, Campbell said criticism was justified in relation to the aftermath and “that we sincerely believed the intelligence on WMD, and we believed Saddam might use them because he had done so when threatened in the past.”
SNP’s Alex Salmond calls for ‘legal consequences’ against Blair following Chilcot
Alex Salmond released a damning statement against Tony Blair following the release of the Chilcot Report, stating that the former prime minister “recklessly committed the country to war without collective judgement.”
“We now know that long before Parliament formally voted on whether or not to go to war in Iraq, Tony Blair had told George Bush - ‘I will be with you forever,’” Salmond said.
The MP, who was Scotland’s first minister between 2007 to 2014 had been highly critical of Tony Blair’s decision to invade Iraq before the report was released.
He said the Chilcot Report found that Blair had not been prepared for the consequences of war and “failed to ensure there was a plan for delivering a future for the people of Iraq.”
Salmond had previously called for people to be held accountable for the Iraq war if strong evidence of wrongdoing was found in the Chilcot Report.
“After such carnage, people will ask inevitable questions of, was conflict inevitable and worthwhile? The answer from Chilcot is undoubtedly no. And who is responsible? The answer is undoubtedly Tony Blair. There must now be a consideration of what political or legal consequences are appropriate for those responsible,” Salmon added in the statement.
He also suggested this week that Tony Blair could be tried for war crimes in Scotland if the English courts failed to take action.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn responds to Chilcot
Jeremy Corbyn begins by commemorating the victims of the Iraq war and says the length of time taken to conclude the Chilcot Inquiry is a “matter of regret.”
“It lead to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people,” Corbyn says, adding that it “fostered sectarianism” and became a catastrophe for the people of Iraq.
Corbyn says many people took to the streets on February 15, 2003, against the invasion. He calls the WMD evidence “flimsy.”
He says the war in Iraq was illegal and the British government did not get backing from the UN.
Corbyn says many people did not get “satisfaction” from the report. He pays tribute to former foreign secretary Robin Cook. There are damning issues addressed in the report, he adds.
Calling it a “colonial-style occupation,” Corbyn slams the 45-minute claim, along with the “dodgy dossier” that led to the intervention.
Corbyn says the Iraq war increased terrorism across Iraq and adds that there are many lessons to be drawn from the Chilcot Inquiry.
Oversight of intelligence is needed along with the assistance of the UN, Corbyn adds.
“There are huge lessons for every single one of use today,” Corbyn says.
In response to Corbyn, Cameron says violence started long before Iraq and 9/11 and “these are important things to remember,” but adds there were failures.
The PM recommends setting out better protocol with intelligence agencies and highlights the UK’s strong relationship with the US.
Russian Embassy shares gloating Tweet
David Cameron tells Parliament Chilcot found there was genuine belief that Saddam Hussein posed a threat and was trying to obtain nuclear weapons, adding that Tony Blair did not improperly influence the crucial 2002 dossier about Iraq’s WMD.
Cameron says the Chilcot Report doesn’t express whether the war was legal but it certainly doesn’t find there was a deliberate intention by Blair to mislead people.
Chilcot outlined how the UK forces were not provided with appropriate equipment and that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) was slow to respond to threats from improvised explosive devices, the PM said.
He also added that armed forces were told by the government to focus on withdrawing from Iraq instead of focusing on other key areas.
Cameron adds that MPs who voted for the war should take a share of the responsibility. He then turns to “lessons” that must be learned.
War should be a last resort, he says. He highlights his past decision to set up the national security council and says resources are important for the armed forces.
Cameron concludes that military intervention should not be outruled in future as a result of the report.
PM David Cameron says there will be a 2 day debate on Chilcot findings next week
Tony Blair responds to Chilcot, says he invaded Iraq ‘in good faith’
Tony Blair released a statement following the publication of the Chilcot Report. He said he would take “full responsibility for any mistakes without exception or excuse.”
“The report should lay to rest allegations of bad faith, lies or deceit,” Blair said.
“Whether people agree or disagree with my decision to take military action against Saddam Hussein; I took it in good faith and in what I believed to be the best interests of the country.”
He denied there was falsification or improper use of intelligence with no “deception” on his Cabinet’s behalf, adding that a secret commitment with George Bush was not made at Crawford, Texas, to invade Iraq.
“The inquiry does not make a finding on the legal basis for military action but finds that the Attorney General had concluded there was a lawful basis by March 13, 2003,” he stated.
Blair did acknowledge, however that the report made “real and material criticisms of preparation, planning, process and of the relationship with the United States.”
He insisted it was “better to remove Saddam Hussein” and denied his actions led to the long-term unrest in the Middle East as a consequence.
Blair is due to speak later on Wednesday.
PM David Cameron issues short reaction to Chilcot
Stop the War Coalition's response to the Chilcot Report:
“The Chilcot report is a damning indictment of Tony Blair and those around him in taking us to war in Iraq. It is clear that he used lies and deception to get his way, that the war was unnecessary and illegal and that everything was done to ensure it went ahead.
“The victims are the Iraqis, those soldiers who died and were injured, but also the whole political system traduced by this process.
“The anti-war movement and the millions who marched were vindicated by this report and we now demand justice.
“Lindsey German, convener of Stop the War Coalition, said: ‘We welcome the fact that this report is so damning but for us this is not the end but the beginning. There must be legal sanctions against Tony Blair and he should no longer be considered fit for any office.’”
Prime Minister David Cameron to issue a statement on Chilcot at 12.30pm BST
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon reacts to Chilcot report
Tony Blair reacts to Chilcot Report
‘Chilcot confirms Tony Blair must now be brought to justice’ – CND
CND, Stop the War and many others are gathered in Westminster listening to the revelations of the Chilcot report.
Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said: “The report shows that Tony Blair had no respect for cabinet procedure, no respect for Parliament, and no respect for international law.
“A country was destroyed, millions of innocent Iraqis were killed, British soldiers were killed, and terrorism has spread across the Middle East.
“Chilcot reveals the evidence that must now be used to bring Tony Blair to justice. This is our demand.
“Only when justice is served can we prevent disasters like the Iraq war ever happening again.”