'A serious violation of international law'

The reason the Tories now support a full inquiry on Iraq is that it's become apparent that they were misled by Blair and his cronies at the time. There is one aspect of the thing that has never been exposed to the light, and for reasons that I would normally support.

Information shared on Privy Council Terms carries obligations. It can't be used for party political scrapping. There is an assumption that the information provided by government to Privy Council members and the Sovereign will be fair and truthful. I believe that it was information shared on Privy Council Terms that swung the Tories behind Blair at the time, and I believe that Blair deceived both the Privy Council and the Sovereign. Cameron can't say so. The Sovereign can't say so. I can only suggest it as a possibility.

Lord Bingham's Grotius lecture is reported knowledgeably by Joshua Rozenberg in the Telegraph. Bingham is of the opinion that there was a 'serious violation of international law and of the rule of law' in the invasion. Goldsmith, the Attorney General who provided the flawed advice, has commented that he did what he believed was right. No doubt. I'm sure there were those who faced the International Tribunal at Nuremberg in 1946 who claimed the same.

As Karadzic has found, and as Mladic will find, the world has a long memory and a great patience to see justice done. And so it is that the great Officers of State at the time must wait and see if the evidence is there to indict them, and for this we need the inquiry that the Conservatives support. And I think for the first time we must allow the light in on what was said to the Leader of Opposition on Privy Council Terms. Let's just remind ourselves of those that could still find themselves facing charges;

Tony Blair - Prime Minister
Lord Irvine - Lord Chancellor
Gordon Brown - Chancellor of the Exchequer
Jack Straw - Foreign Secretary
Geoff Hoon - Defence Secretary
Lord Goldsmith - Attorney General

None are in hiding, and all could be brought to justice fairly swiftly. Both we and the Iraqi people deserve 'closure', and the government's continued dodging on a full public inquiry cannot be sustained indefinitely. It is in the interests of justice that this is done now, whilst memories are still fresh, and whilst those named above remain alive and accessible.