UK: pressure on Gordon Brown for Iraq war inquiry

From British daily The Independent:

Ministers urge Brown to launch Iraq inquiry

By Colin Brown, Deputy Political Editor

Published: 19 May 2007

Gordon Brown is under growing pressure to order a top-level inquiry into the Iraq war.

Tory leaders joined Labour deputy leadership candidates and military families against the war in stepping up calls for an inquiry to be announced by Mr Brown soon after he succeeds Tony Blair on 27 June.

Those lobbying for an investigation claim it would restore trust in government in the post-Blair era.

The Government has been reluctant to accept the demands for an inquiry into the mistakes over Iraq, but supporters of Mr Brown believe it could help draw a line under the Blair years.

Labour deputy leadership candidates lined up to support an investigation after Alan Johnson expressed a personal belief at a hustings meeting that an inquiry would be held.

Jon Cruddas, the first deputy leadership candidate to call for an inquiry said it would be “part of the reconciliation process and part of rebuilding trust in the Government”.

Allies of Hilary Benn said he supported an inquiry but believed it should be delayed until the troops were withdrawn from Iraq.

An additional argument for bringing the troops home right now, Mr Hilary Benn.

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