Blair petition signed by 10k

A petition demanding Parliament holds former prime minister Tony Blair to account over the build-up to the Iraq War has been signed by 10,000 people.

The milestone means the Government has to issue an official reply.

There have been renewed calls for the former prime minister to face legal action after the Chilcot Report delivered a scathing verdict on the “far from satisfactory” legal basis for war.

The petition says: “The Chilcot Report has presented a range of evidence that demonstrates that Parliament and the country were misled by Tony Blair in the run-up to the war in Iraq.

“Parliament should now agree a process by which it can hold the former prime minister to account.”

The Echo reported last week how Washington mum Janice Proctor, whose son Private Michael Tench was killed when his Warrior vehicle was hit by a bomb in January 2007 aged just 18, is joining with other bereaved families as they launch a Crowdfunded legal battle against Mr Blair, led by Roger Bacon and Reg Keys, whose sons were both killed in Iraq.

It aims to raise £50,000 to fund the first part of their case which aims to “bring to justice those responsible for the War and the deaths of our loved ones.”

If this latest petition reaches 100,000 signatures it will be considered for a debate in Parliament. SNP MP Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh said: “This is a significant milestone for this parliamentary petition.

“Now it has received 10,000 signatories the UK Government is required to make a formal response on the issue.”