Labour Attacked Over Iraq Inquiry

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 13th Jun 2007

Liberal Democrats in Chesterfield have attacked neighbouring Labour MP Natascha Engels for voting against a call in Parliament for an independent inquiry into the Iraq war and occupation.

MPs voted on Monday 11th June in the House of Commons on the call for an inquiry but Natascha Engels turned up to join her Labour colleagues to vote down the inquiry.

Speaking after the vote, Paul Holmes, Liberal Democrat MP for Chesterfield said:

"I am disappointed that Natascha Engels has opted for there to be no inquiry. I believe she should explain to her constituents why an inquiry should not be held now and why the day we learn the lessons of the Iraq War fiasco has to be delayed."

Liberal Democrats have consistently argued for an inquiry since the invasion in 2003 when we opposed the decision to go to war.

Gordon Brown has called for a more open and accountable way of running government.

This will not wash with the British people when his own MPs are blocking attempts to have a full and independent inquiry into what has been the biggest disaster in foreign affairs for our country in half a century. Government needs to learn lessons from this disastrous venture."

Paul added:

"A timetable for withdrawal of British troops needs to be set. The presence of the occupation troops is no longer seen as the solution to Iraq's problems. Instead, the occupation is seen as part of the problem by Iraqi people."