Iraq advice "must be made public"

[muriel_volestrangler]

Former Tory Prime Minister John Major has called for the full advice given by the attorney general about the legality of the war in Iraq to be published. The government has so far rejected demands for it to be made public. Mr Major said a summary had already been published and there was no excuse for not giving full details. He told the BBC further speculation would only damage the prime minister's position and that the "poison needs to be let out of the system"
...
Mr Cook said convention prevented the full publication of Lord Goldsmith's advice but suggested the attorney general give a lecture explaining the justification for war.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/uk_news/politics/3519583.stm

Interesting to see pressure coming from other sides too. Major has very rarely bothered to criticise Blair after he lost the election to him.

[mac2]

1. Blair is like Bush...screwed up but is still there.

[JoFerret]

2. Can't stand Major but

Blair has to go. Bush has to go.At least in the US the alternative is not something worse. In the UK if Blair hangs on too long his party might lose and there will be an eternity of tories. let's hope Blair goes followed by Bush and that Blair does not sink his party and its ideals and plans with him.

[JohnyCanuck]

3. More bad news for Tony Poodle in Glasgow's Sunday Herald, Feb 29/04

I posted this in GD a couple of hours ago. But it has already sunk out of sight.

US told UK Attorney General to alter legal advice on Iraq war.

The attorney general initially told Tony Blair that an invasion of Iraq would be illegal without a new resolution from the United Nations and only overturned his advice when Washington ordered Downing Street to find legal advice which would justify the war.

The devastating claim will be made by eminent QC and Labour peer Baroness Helena Kennedy in a television interview today.

It is one of a series of attacks which put Blair under renewed and increasing pressure to reveal full details of the legal backing for the war against Iraq.

<snip>

Baroness Kennedy points out that Lord Goldsmith was a commercial lawyer with no experience of international law and initially relied heavily on the advice of lawyers within the Foreign Office in the months before the war. It is widely believed that advice overwhelmingly warned against invading without a UN resolution.

http://www.sundayherald.com/40318

Be sure to vote in the poll at the bottom of the Sunday Herald story re. the need for an inquiry into the legal justification for the Iraq war.

[ScrewyRabbit]

4. Wow, a little color added to the bland, grey face of Major

For once I can say he made good move!

[w4rma]

5. Has Mr. Kennedy (LibDems) made a statement on this yet?

http://www.libdems.org.uk/
http://www.charleskennedy.org.uk/

[T_i_B]

6. Well...

Given John Major's record of handling sleaze matters, which contrubuted heavily to his 1997 defeat at the hands of Blair I don't think "new" labour will be all too keen to take his advice.