AM calls for Commons debate on Blair’s Iraq War ‘contempt’

PLAID Cymru politician Adam Price has launched a petition aimed at securing a House of Commons debate on the motion that Tony Blair acted in contempt of Parliament when taking Britain to war in Iraq.

The petition, which reached 2,400 signatures by around 5pm yesterday, reads: “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.”

To get a parliamentary debate considered it needs 100,000 signatures before January 20, 2017.

Mr Price, the former MP and current AM for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, who has long campaigned for Mr Blair to be held to account for his actions over Iraq, said: “This is an attempt to get a motion debated on the floor of the House. Unfortunately the Speaker was advised not to give such a debate preference in parliamentary time after the publication of the Chilcot Report. From my own experience I know that parliamentary clerks are among the most conservative constitutionalists you’ll find anywhere.”

The AM said that while in his view there had long been grounds to believe that Mr Blair had misled Parliament, the Chilcot Report had provided further “compelling” evidence that such was the case.

“We now have proof that Tony Blair had pre-committed the UK to enter the war,” said Mr Price. “His claim that intelligence reports suggested not invading Iraq would lead to an increased risk of terrorism has been shown to be the opposite of the truth.”

Mr Price said the SNP had offered to give up some of its opposition debate time to allow the motion to be put, but Mr Price said it would be preferable to have a cross-party motion: “From conversations that have taken place, I believe there is a good chance that, if a free vote is allowed, the motion would be passed. I certainly think there are good reasons why there shouldn’t be a free vote. It’s not party political, but a serious parliamentary matter when the House of Commons is misled.”

He said the Speaker had been wary of setting a precedent for a former Prime Minister to effectively face a contempt trial: “I think the circumstances of this case are wholly exceptional. Misleading Parliament resulted in a war that led to hundreds of thousands of deaths. It’s important for Tony Blair to be held to account.”

Under the rules of such a debate, Mr Blair could be forced to stand at the Bar of the House of Commons. If the motion is passed, it would be for Parliament to impose a penalty.

“I think any penalty would be symbolic. He could, for example, be held in custody overnight.”