John Major calls for full Iraq disclosure

Sunday, 29 February 2004 6:47 PM

Former Conservative Prime Minister John Major has called for the attorney general's advice about the legality of the war in Iraq to be published.

Mr Major said there was no excuse for not giving full details when a summary had already been published. The former Tory leader told BBC's Breakfast with Frost that further speculation would only damage the Tony Blair's position.

He said: "I cannot see any credible or logical reason why ... given the fact that there is no doubt Lord Goldsmith produced such an opinion - I cannot see at all why that should not now be published. This is poisoning the whole political atmosphere."

Downing Street has refused to comment on newspaper reports that the attorney general changed his advice shortly before the allied campaign began. According to the Observer and the Independent on Sunday military officials were concerned that their troops could be prosecuted for fighting illegally. They allegedly demanded an unequivocal statement that the invasion was lawful from the attorney general.

Speaking on the same programme, former foreign secretary Robin Cook - who resigned over the Iraq war - said the attorney general's opinion was based on the necessity of disarming Saddam Hussein of weapons of mass destruction.

"I do think that does raise two questions; first of all what was the evidence given to the attorney general that convinced him that those weapons - that don't exist - were actually there; and secondly, would the attorney general now give the same opinion given that he now knows those weapons don't exist?

"I do think there is an obligation now on the government and the attorney general to satisfy the very real public debate on this point."

The government has so far rejected demands for Lord Goldsmith's advice to be made public.

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