Alastair Campbell faced demands last night to reappear before the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war after “clarifying” his evidence on the intelligence dossier used to justify overthrowing Saddam Hussein.
This week is likely to be the inquiry’s most electrifying yet, with evidence from Geoff Hoon, the former Defence Secretary, Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, and Jonathan Powell, Tony Blair’s closest Downing Street aide. It emerged yesterday that:
? Mr Straw, the Foreign Secretary at the time, warned Mr Blair of doubts about supporting the invasion;
? Mr Hoon and Mr Blair were told by military chiefs that they had less than five days to decide to join the US-led attack;
? more than half of voters now believe that Mr Blair deliberately misled the country over the war.
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Lieutenant-General Sir John Reith said he warned Mr Hoon in early December 2002 that they had only a week in which to authorise the war plans or miss out on the US invasion. The former Chief of Joint Operations told the inquiry during a private session that he explained to Mr Hoon the urgent need to hire “trade” ships for the invasion fleet.
“He then went to the Prime Minister, and we were then authorised to go to trade. There was a reluctance ... to have anything that was public at that stage,” he told the inquiry.
Mr Hoon had already delayed an order for body armour by three months, and so the equipment did not arrive in Iraq until almost two weeks after the invasion, it was claimed yesterday. The Defence Secretary was later allegedly prevented by Gordon Brown, then the Chancellor, from ordering helicopters to protect British troops in Iraq, according to secret letters sent to the inquiry.
Mr Powell, Mr Blair’s former chief of staff, is expected to be asked today about a visit with the Prime Minister to President Bush’s ranch in Texas, in April 2002, when the two leaders discussed toppling Saddam. Days earlier Mr Straw had sent the Prime Minister a “secret and personal letter” warning that the case for military action in Iraq was of dubious legality, and would not have the support of most Labour MPs.
Sir John Chilcot, the inquiry chairman, faced calls yesterday to recall Mr Campbell for further questioning. Mr Campbell issued a “clarification” of his evidence last week. He said one of his answers appeared to suggest that Mr Blair could have claimed that there was evidence “beyond doubt” that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction even if intelligence chiefs disagreed. In a memo to the inquiry released at the weekend Mr Campbell said: “This is clearly not correct.”
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Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Liberal Democrat leader, demanded that Mr Campbell be recalled.
This week’s witnesses
Today Jonathan Powell, Prime Minister’s chief of staff, 2001-07. Key involvement in planning for invasion and occupation
Tomorrow Geoff Hoon, below, Defence Secretary, 2001-05. Accused of ordering military chiefs to delay preparations for invasion, and failing to secure funding
Wednesday Sir David Omand, Permanent Secretary Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator, 2002-05. Oversaw intelligence on Iraq’s weapons
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Thursday Jack Straw. Foreign Secretary, 2001-06, now Justice Secretary. Key player in persuading MPs to send troops to support US-led invasion
Friday Sir Suma Chakrabarti, Permanent Secretary at the Department for International Development, 2002-07
Friday Sir Nicholas Macpherson, Permanent Secretary at Treasury, 2006-09. Did Government provide sufficient funds for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan?