Ed Davey, Lib Dem shadow foreign secretary, has taken to the airwaves today to make the case for inquiries into the two dodgy areas of Labour’s foreign policy – the basis for the war in Iraq, and allegations of British complicity in in illegal abduction and torture.
A full inquiry into the Iraq war
Commenting on the latest evidence to show the extent to which Labour’s spin doctors intervened to ‘sex-up’ the Iraqi weapons dossier prepared by intelligence officials, Ed said on this morning’s BBC Radio 4 Today Programme:
He said the emails show, “there was intervention, and we didn’t know that before. We need that full enquiry. Hutton was clearly a whitewash. And even Butler didn’t go far enough. I would argue that the case for a full enquiry into the Iraq war has been made from the first day, but now it’s unanswerable.” (Hat-tip: PoliticsHome.com).
A full investigation into the UK’s support of extraordinary rendition
And commenting on the allegations of Binyam Mohamed, recently released without charge from Guantánamo Bay, that he would not have faced torture or extraordinary rendition if it was not for British involvement in his case, Ed comments:
Binyam Mohamed’s allegations about British complicity in illegal abduction and torture could not be more compelling. The claim that he would not have faced torture or extraordinary rendition, but for British involvement, is his most serious charge yet. Ministers are like rabbits caught in headlights over these torture allegations, not sure which way to run.
“Until these claims are properly investigated and until there is a full judicial inquiry into all the allegations of British complicity in illegal activities, the heightened suspicions of serious wrongdoing at the top of Government will not go away.”
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One Comment
I think every Liberal would be fully behind what Ed Davey is doing. I for one would like to see a far higher profile from the Lib Dems on foreign affairs because I think we deserve far greater recognition for the positions we are taking.