Major urges Blair to get Bush war talks published

London Evening Standard

London

Former prime minister Sir John Major yesterday urged his successor Tony Blair to demand the publication of messages exchanged with US president George W Bush over the Iraq War.

The ex-Conservative premier branded it a “pity” that letters and records of phone calls between the two in the run-up to the 2003 conflict will not be publicly released in the report from the Iraq inquiry chaired by Sir John Chilcot.

Families of soldiers who died in Iraq have been calling for the publication of 25 notes from Blair to Bush and more than 130 records of phone conversations between the two men.

Campaigners suspect the former Labour PM committed Britain to going to war before getting the backing of Parliament.

But under a deal being negotiated between Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood, who was principal private secretary to Blair in No 10 in the run-up to the war, and Sir John Chilcot, the information to be disclosed will be limited to “quotes or gists”.

In addition, the inquiry’s use of the material “should not reflect President Bush’s views”.

But Sir John Major, who was prime minister during the first Gulf War in 1991, said: “It’s a pity that the papers are going to be withheld. Firstly, they will leave suspicions unresolved and those suspicions will fester and maybe worsen.

“Secondly, withholding them is going to be very embarrassing for Blair, not least of course since he brought in the Freedom of Information Act.”

Sir John added that the controversial decision was by the Cabinet Office, and the current coalition government could not intervene over papers from a previous Labour administration. But he said: “I suppose the previous Labour government could approach them and say: ‘We would like to overrule this, we think it better if they release those papers’.

“Blair could, the previous Labour government could, and maybe in their own interests they should, think about that because otherwise this will fester and I don’t think anybody wishes to see that.”

Sir John rejected claims of a “whitewash”, though he believes the Chilcot inquiry will be frustrated at not being able to publish more. Blair has denied delaying publication of the long-awaited report — the inquiry completed public hearings in 2011.

Earlier this week he said: “The sooner it is published the better from my perspective as it allows me to go and make the arguments.” David Cameron hopes it will be published by the end of the year.