25-3-08
Barrett demands Iraq inquiry on five year anniversary

John Barrett, Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, today called on for an urgent Inquiry into the Iraq War on the fifth anniversary of the conflict.

Both the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives are calling for an inquiry into the invasion but Ministers have ruled out any action until after the conflict is over. Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords have tabled a Bill demanding that an inquiry begins before the next session of parliament.

John Barrett said:

“Whether measured in terms of lives, money or the security of the region, the cost of Iraq has been far too high.

“Both Labour and the Tories share the blame for this catastrophic foreign policy mistake. For the Conservatives to call for an inquiry now is too little too late. The time for asking the tough questions was prior to the invasion when it was the Liberal Democrats at Westminster who were making the arguments against war.

“Even those who supported the war in good faith must now admit that it has been a disaster, not just for Iraq but for our credibility and reputation abroad. We need an urgent enquiry to ensure that we never find ourselves in this position again.”