Iraq War Report Delayed Until After Election

The Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war will not be published until after the General Election, it has emerged.

Its chairman, Sir John Chilcot, will explain the reasons for the further delay in an exchange of letters with Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday, according to Government sources.

The inquiry was set up by the Labour government six years ago and heard from its final witnesses in February 2011.

Mr Cameron is understood to have written to Sir John saying that he would have liked to have seen the report released before the election, but accepted that publication was a matter for the inquiry.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg says the public will find the latest delay "incomprehensible".

In a letter to Sir John, Mr Clegg wrote: "Neither administrative processes nor a constant back and forth between the inquiry and witnesses criticised should frustrate an independent report so important to the country's future from being published as soon as possible .

"If the findings are not published with a sense of immediacy, there is a real danger the public will assume the report is being 'sexed down' by individuals rebutting criticisms put to them by the inquiry, whether that is the case or not.

"The inquiry into Iraq will both resolve the issues of the past, and set the tone for future British foreign policy. We cannot wait any longer for these lessons to be learned."

The latest news of a delay comes as MPs prepare to stage a Commons debate next week on the matter.

Former Attorney General and Conservative MP Dominic Grieve said the public deserved reasons for the "extraordinary delay".

He told Sky News: "It's absolutely imperative we should have an explanation as to what is going on. I think a chronology setting out what's happened... is essential."

Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker told Sky the delay was "not acceptable to the British people" and that the public should have had the findings before the election.

"These were major events in 2002/2003, when government in its normal way was abandoned... when we had Alastair Campbell writing dodgy dossiers - or at least editing them - and when we had weapons of mass destruction lauded around which didn't turn out to exist."

Publication has been delayed by disagreement over the release of confidential messages between Tony Blair and former US president George Bush.

The so-called "Maxwellisation" process, by which people who are criticised in the report are given the chance to respond, has also contributed to the hold-up.

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Gallery: Protests At Tony Blair's Chilcot Appearances In 2010 And 2011

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