Ruling says Iraq notes cannot be published

THE HEAD of the Iraq Inquiry has expressed disappointment the inquiry cannot detail the background to the decision by former British prime minister Tony Blair to go to war in Iraq.

Britain’s top civil servant has ruled the inquiry cannot publish secret notes exchanged between Mr Blair and then-US president George Bush.

The inquiry, which opened a new round of hearings yesterday, will question Mr Blair for a second time on Friday. He will be quizzed about new revelations from his attorney general of the time, Lord Peter Goldsmith. Mr Goldsmith now claims Mr Blair told MPs in January 2003 a second UN resolution was not needed, though he had told Mr Blair the opposite the day before.

Sir John Chilcot, chairman of the inquiry, had sought permission from cabinet secretary Sir Gus O’Donnell to publish notes exchanged between Mr Blair and Mr Bush in advance of the March 2003 invasion. The inquiry has seen the notes and Mr Chilcot argued publication would be in the public interest.

However, Mr O’Donnell has refused. “A UK prime minister may be less likely to have these exchanges, or have them recorded, if he is concerned that this information would be disclosed at a later time against his wishes. Inhibiting this type of free and frank exchange would represent real prejudice to the UK’s relations with the US,” he wrote.

Expressing frustration, Mr Chilcot told Mr O’Donnell by letter that some of the notes had been referred to in Mr Blair’s memoir. “This leads to the position that individuals may disclose privileged information (without sanction) whilst a committee of Privy Counsellors established by a former prime minister to review the issues, cannot,” said Mr Chilcot.

Speaking at the opening session of the inquiry, Mr Chilcot said: “The inquiry may not always be able to publish as fully as it would the evidential basis for some of its comments and conclusions”.