FORMER PM ACCUSED OF ‘ALARMING SUBTERFUGE’ OVER IRAQ CLAIMS

FORMER PM ACCUSED OF ‘ALARMING SUBTERFUGE’ OVER IRAQ CLAIMS

BOTH BLAIR AND BROWN SHOULD APPEAR BEFORE COMMITTEE

SNP Defence Spokesperson and Westminster Leader Angus Robertson MP has seized on comments made by the former Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir Ken Macdonald QC who claimed today (Monday) that former Prime Minister Tony Blair had used “alarming subterfuge” as justification for invading Iraq.

Sir Ken’s remarks follow a weekend of revelations about the invasion – including an admission by Tony Blair that he would have pressed ahead with military action even if weapons of mass destruction had not been a concern. Bob Ainsworth, now Defence Minister but Deputy Chief Whip at the time of the war in Iraq, claimed Labour could have lost the Commons vote on the invasion if this had been known at the time.

Commenting, Mr Robertson said:

“Revelations over the war in Iraq are proving no-one can believe a word Labour says about anything anymore.

“Their now discredited lies about weapons of mass destruction were just a front. Blair was Bush’s poodle – entering an illegal war for oil, not international security and doing so against the will of the people.

“Tony Blair took us to war on a false prospectus, and Gordon Brown bankrolled it - both men should appear side by side when they give evidence, so that we can uncover the real story behind the biggest foreign policy disaster in modern times.”