British Prime Minister Gordon Brown today announced an independent inquiry into the Iraq war but said evidence would be heard in private.
Mr Brown told the Commons that the inquiry would look at the run-up to the war in 2003, the war itself and the following “re-construction” period.
To jeers from Tory MPs, he said it will take a year to report - taking it beyond the next general election.
The British government has consistently said an inquiry will be held after the UK’s combat role in Iraq has ended.
British troops conducted their last combat mission on April 30th and their withdrawal is expected to be completed by July 31th.
Mr Brown said the inquiry would be “fully independent of government”, and the final report will disclose “all but the most secret of information”.
Tory leader David Cameron said there was a danger people would think the inquiry had been “fixed” because it would not report until after the next general election.
PA