Jack Straw rejects ignoring legal advice in second inquiry appearance
Jack Straw back before Chilcot inquiry
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By Matt Hallam. |  |
Monday, 08, Feb 2010 07:32
By Richard James.
Former foreign secretary Jack Straw has rejected claims he ignored advice that invading Iraq without a second UN resolution would have been illegal.
Appearing this afternoon before the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war for the second time he said he had given "serious attention" to advice given to him at the time of the invasion.
Mr Straw's senior legal advisor at the Foreign Office, Sir Michael Wood, previously told the inquiry military intervention aimed at toppling Saddam Hussein would equate to a "crime of aggression" without the backing of the United Nations.
In a statement released to the inquiry on Monday though, Mr Straw claimed it was not necessary to accept every bit of legal advice they received but said he had give Sir Michael's advice "the serious advice it deserved. so much so that I thought I owed him a formal and personal written response".
The inquiry into the 2003 invasion of Iraq has heard, especially from Sir Michael and his deputy Elizabeth Wilmshurst, there was substantial opposition in the Foreign Office to joining the US in military action without a second resolution.
Mr Straw said in a memorandum he released as he gave evidence to the five-member panel that he had replied to Sir Michael's concerns by saying: "I note your advice, but I do not accept it."
The now justice secretary conceded in his previous evidence session that he played a major part in opening the way for the UK to launch military operations in Iraq after being consulted by the former attorney general Lord Goldsmith before he controversially changed his opinion on the war's legality.
On Monday the former foreign secretary said he had rejected Sir Michael's claim there was "no doubt" the invasion would be illegal.
"There was of course no doubt about the illegality of self-defence, overwhelming humanitarian necessity, or regime change per se, as a basis for military action and no one was suggesting the contrary," he said.
"But there was doubt about the position... This was at the heart of the debate on lawfulness."
Mr Straw originally appeared before Sir John Chilcot and his panel on January 21st but only gave evidence for three hours and was called back to face more questions on his role as foreign secretary between 2001 and 2006.
During his previous appearance Mr Straw admitted intelligence had never been at "the heart" of the UK decision to invade Iraq in 2003.
The former foreign secretary said the decision to back the US military offensive had been based on the aggressive actions of Saddam Hussein's regime.
He also echoed Tony Blair's declaration that the September 11th terrorist attacks had totally changed Britain's foreign policy outlook, bringing it much more in line with that of George Bush and his US administration.