5 February 2004: for immediate use

The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament today repeated its demand for a full and independent public inquiry into the War on Iraq, following the astonishing inability of government ministers to agree over who knew what about the 45 minute warning.

This shocking performance has only served to highlight and strengthen more then ever the pressing need for an independent inquiry into the reasons for going to war and the political judgements exercised.

CND Chair Kate Hudson said:

“We have maintained throughout that the British public has a right to the truth about this illegal and immoral war. Today’s arguments just reinforce that fact. One is forced to conclude that either the Prime Minister knew the truth and proceeded anyway, or that he just didn’t bother to find out the most basic facts. Either way it is absolutely astonishing. In fact, he is damned if he did know and damned if he didn’t. The Prime Minister has lost all credibility. We must have the answers.”

Alice Mahon, MP for Halifax, and CND National Council member said today:

“When so little attention to detail has been paid to the issue of WMDs, we are forced to conclude that we went to war with Iraq to satisfy Bush’s desire for regime change. This is real proof that WMDs were not the real reason we went to war with Iraq. We went to war because George W. Bush asked us to.”

 

ENDS

 

Notes to Editor

1) Comment and interview from CND on the war on Iraq, the demands for a full inquiry and related issues can be arranged. Contact the Press Office on 0207 7002350 or 07968 420859

2) CND was one of three organisations leading the recent anti-war movement, alongside the Stop the War Coalition and Muslim Association of Britain. It is one of Europe’s biggest single-issue peace campaigns, with over 32,000 members in the UK.