Chilcot finally to report - in June or July 2016.

Apparently the long awaited report of the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war may finally be published in Summer next year and run to two million words or so. Daily Telegraph report on the story here.

Twitter today is full of comparison of the length of time it will have taken to prepare the report with various major events like the second world war (it will have lasted longer) and comparing the length of the report with various substantial documents (for example it is apparently three times the length of "War and Peace.")

It was also noted that the prediction of publication on that timetable was heavily qualified: a published letter from Sir John Chilcot to the PM said that it "should be possible" to put forward a date within that timescale for agreement.

I will hold fire until we see the report next year but I am not surprised that this is causing comment!

Some of those comments have come from the PM himself who provided the reply given below underneath the letter to him from Sir John setting out the timetable:


Sir John Chilcot. Photo: Getty Images

 
 

PM's letter:

David Cameron has said he is "disappointed" that the Iraq Inquiry report cannot be published until summer 2016.
Quote Sir John,

Thank you for your letter of 28 October setting out a timetable for the completion of the work of the Iraq Inquiry.

Whilst it is welcome of course that there is now a clear end in sight for your Inquiry, I am disappointed – and I know the families of those who served in Iraq will also be disappointed – that you do not believe it will be possible logistically to publish your report until early summer.

I recognise that you have a significant task, but would welcome any further steps you can take to expedite the final stages of the Inquiry. I have seen your letter of 28 October to the Cabinet Secretary requesting additional resource to support the publication process, which I can confirm that we are happy to provide. As I have underlined previously, we remain ready to provide whatever further assistance we can in order to support the conclusion of your work, and I am very happy to provide more resource if it would allow the Report to be published more quickly.

In relation to National Security checking, the Government will aim to complete the process as quickly as possible. As you know, National Security checking for the Savile Inquiry took two weeks to complete. It would certainly be our plan and expectation to take no longer than this, and we will look to complete the process more quickly.

I am content for you to publish this letter alongside yours.

Yours sincerely,

David Cameron

David Cameron: We are creating a new era of transparency

The full letter from Sir John Chilcot to the PM 


The Iraq Inquiry, Chilcot to Cameron

Comments

Jim said…
And then some say at 419 pages Flexit is too long :(
5:36 pm
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