DON’T TREAT US WITH CONTEMPT Chilcot STILL silent on Iraq War report delays despite pleas to talk

The chairman of the inquiry into the disastrous Iraq War was last night told to step out of his ‘ivory tower’ and explain why his long-awaited report had been delayed.

Sir John Chilcot was accused of treating the grieving families of British soldiers killed in the conflict with ‘utter contempt’ by staying silent.

Bereaved relatives were being kept in a ‘terrible limbo’ because the Iraq Inquiry chairman was ignoring their pleas to reveal the truth about why their sons and daughters were sent to fight by Tony Blair, said a leading MP.

Former Tory defence minister Sir Gerald howarth became the latest senior figure to express disquiet about Sir John, accusing him of ‘sticking up two fingers’ at the families.

Central to the delays are the controversial ‘Maxwellisation’ letters – named after a case involving disgraced newspaper tycoon Robert Maxwell – which gives those facing criticism in inquiries a pre-publication right of reply.

Critics say giving witnesses the right to rebut failings in detail has effectively allowed them to block the report into the war, which cost 179 British lives, indefinitely.

Sir John has refused to answer questions about how many letters he has sent, when they were posted and why he has allowed the process to drag on – prolonging the suffering of devastated families.

Questioned by the Daily Mail about the reasons for the shocking delays, Sir John said he could not answer because it was a ‘confidential process’. Asked about the families’ feelings, he replied: ‘no comment.’

Sir Gerald said: ‘ I feel very strongly that Sir John Chilcot cannot sit in his ivory tower completely immune to the concerns of the families and the public. he has had four years: Time is now up.

‘I think it is pretty offensive that he is refusing to comment on why these delays are occurring. We want to know.

‘he is betraying the families and showing them utter contempt. he is sticking up two fingers to anyone who is expressing any concerns about the delays to the report, yet these concerns are completely legitimate. It seems he has forgotten there is a human angle to this and leaving families in a terrible limbo is not acceptable.’

Sir John, a 76-year- old retired civil servant, has not been seen since the Mail revealed that 29 families had started an unprecedented legal battle to force him to publish his report by the end of the year.

he was this week dubbed the ‘Man With no Conscience’ for failing to ensure the report was published quickly for the sake of grieving relatives.

The chairman, whose probe has cost more than £10million, has faced mounting criticism for his refusal to give‘straight answers’ to questions about hold-ups.

The inquiry convened in 2009 and finished taking evidence from witnesses, including Tony Blair, Alastair Campbell and former spy chief Sir John Scarlett, in 2011.

Roger Bacon, whose son Major Matthew Bacon, 34, died in a bomb blast in Basra ten years ago, said: ‘Before Sir John started taking evidence, he met the families and made a promise that he would get to the bottom of things for us. To keep us hanging on is not on.’

David Godfrey, the grandfather of Rifleman Daniel Coffey, 21, shot on patrol in Iraq in 2007, said: ‘We have had no answers. When you continually ask questions that are important to you, and you receive no believable answer, you reach the stage of despair and that desperation evolves into anger. That is the stage we have now reached.’

Matthew Jury of McCue & Co solicitors, which is representing the families, said Sir John’s refusal to explain was ‘unreasonable and, given their suffering, nothing short of contemptuous’.

The families have given Sir John a two-week deadline to set a date for releasing the report or they will apply for judicial review.

An inquiry spokesman said Sir John would not comment.

‘Leaving them in a terrible limbo’