A leading Brexit campaigner and former Minister of State for Europe has accused the Prime Minister of delaying the Iraq War inquiry report to avoid embarrassing leading Remain campaigners like Tony Blair ahead of the European Union (EU) referendum.
The senior Conservative Member of Parliament and prominent Leave campaigner for the forthcoming EU referendum, David Davis, has questioned the motive behind the latest delay to the publication of Sir John Chilcot’s Iraq inquiry, which officially began taking evidence in 2009 and finished the process of taking main evidence in February 2011.
For Mr. Davis it looks like it could be a means to save Mr. Blair’s reputation while he fights for the UK’s continued membership of the EU, reports The Telegraph. As Prime Minister before, during and after March 2003 — when the invasion of Iraq began — it is expected that Mr. Blair will come in for severe criticism in the report, along with other senior figures in his Government.
Mr. Davis noted that an attempt to prevent further erosion of public trust in the political establishment is likely to be the real reason for delay, saying:
“Now that it is clear that the Tony Blair is going to be a cheerleader for the ‘In’ campaign it is obvious that this delay on the Chilcot report is nothing more than cynical political expediency.
“Frankly this compounds the hurt and insult for the parents and loved ones of the soldiers who gave their lives to their country in Iraq.”
The latest delay to the report, which is due to be finalised this Friday, is officially for it to be prepared for publication. Matthew Jury, a lawyer representing 29 families of British soldiers who died in Iraq, said:
“The families simply cannot understand why, if the report is finalised this Friday, it will then take three months for it just to be typeset and proofread.
“The families have asked the Inquiry several times for a suitable explanation, but one hasn’t been given. This lack of transparency is appalling.”
As Breitbart London previously reported, the delay to the Iraq War report is the latest in a series of announcements to be postponed, to potentially avoid controversy ahead of the EU vote.
Others include the third runway at Heathrow, a Parliamentary vote on the renewal of the Trident nuclear deterrent, and the draft British bill of rights produced by Brexit supporting justice ministers Michael Gove and Dominic Raab.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.