UK - Iraq war inquiry

Former Minister applauded after criticising Blair and government advisor

Article published on the 2010-02-02 Latest update 2010-02-02 17:13 TU

Britain's former International Development Secretary Clare Short, arrives to give evidence to the Iraq War inquiry in London
(Photo: Reuters)

Britain's former Minister for International Development, Clare Short, appeared at the UK's public inquiry into the Iraq war on Tuesday. She told the inquiry that the account of the run-up to the war given by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair "doesn't stack up to scrutiny whatsoever".

She was applauded by the audience after giving her evidence.

She rejected Blair's claim that the attacks in New York on 11 September 2001 required military action in Iraq. She also said that then Iraqi leader Sadaam Hussein did not have the means to develop nuclear weapons.

"There is no doubt that by invading in this ill-prepared, rushed way, not only did we cause enormous suffering and loss of life, we made Iraq more dangerous and unstable and spread Al-Qaeda's presence in the Middle East", she said.

She also criticised the government's chief legal advisor Peter Goldsmith, saying "I think he misled the cabinet, he certainly misled me" on his position at the time that the war would not contravene international law.

Short also said she had the impression she was being frozen out of government meetings from mid-2002.

Short resigned from the British cabinet two months after the Iraq invasion, in May 2003.