UK Liberals to demand Iraq apology from MPs

The invasion of Iraq will come under the microscope yet again today as the British Liberal Democrat Party demand an apology from every MP who backed the decision.

Their intervention comes as the Conservative Party seek to ratchet up the pressure on British prime minister Gordon Brown for an inquiry into the conflict during an opposition day debate in the House of Commons.

A new website – www.holdthemtoaccount.com – will seek to draw fresh attention to those Labour and Conservative MPs who backed the deployment of troops just over five years ago.

Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Ed Davey said: “For the Tories to demand an inquiry into the Iraq war is like Ronnie Biggs wanting an inquiry into the Great Train Robbery.”

Brown reiterated last week that there would be an inquiry into the conflict – but not yet.

The Conservatives insist however that the time is now right, with British troops in Basra in an overwatch role and before memories have faded.

The Lib Dems have tabled an amendment to today’s Conservative motion, calling for Labour and Conservative politicians who backed the invasion to apologise.

They have also produced a poster of Conservative leader David Cameron questioning why he was now demanding an inquiry when 146 of his MPs supported the conflict in 2003.

Mr Davey said: “It is flattering that the Conservatives have come round to our long-held belief that there must be a full inquiry into the war as soon as possible.

“However, it would have greater strength if they admitted the key role they had in letting this disastrous decision be made in the first place.

“If David Cameron and William Hague want any legitimacy in this debate, the first thing they should do is say sorry for the way they propped up the Labour Party as it pushed us into this catastrophic war.”