Iraq War report ‘delayed until after UK election’

Ten facts to remember about the Chilcot report into the Iraq war, as yet another delay means we still don’t know if war criminals like Tony Blair will be incriminated:

Ten facts to remember about the Chilcot report into the Iraq war

The Iraq Inquiry, also referred to as the Chilcot Inquiry after its chairman, Sir John Chilcot, is a British public inquiry into the nation’s role in the Iraq War. The inquiry was announced on 15 June 2009 by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, with an initial announcement that proceedings would take place in private, a decision which was subsequently reversed after receiving criticism in the media and the House of Commons.

The inquiry began its work in 2009 and held its last public hearing in 2011. The inquiry has been looking into the reasons for the UK’s involvement in the 2003 US-led invasion which toppled Saddam Hussein and the aftermath of the conflict, which saw UK troops remain in Iraq until 2009.

The official inquiry into the 2003 Iraq War will not publish its long-awaited report before the general election. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the delay was “incomprehensible”. The Liberal Democrat leader said that the public would assume the delay was caused by those criticised in the report attempting to “sex it down”.

The prime minister is to write a letter to the inquiry to “restate his frustration” at delay in publication and to say the report should have been published before the election, sources have told the BBC. BBC political editor Nick Robinson said inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot was expected to confirm in a letter to David Cameron that it would be delayed until after the election on 7 May.