Lord Butler delivers Iraq verdict

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Intelligence relied upon to justify Iraq war was 'seriously flawed', Butler Report says.

BLAIR CLEARED BY BUTLER

Lord Butler's report into the the use of intelligence before the Iraq war has been published. It came down heavily on "serious flaws in pre-war intelligence". The report said the dossier justifying the Iraq war had taken to the "outer limits" the intelligence available.

Lord Butler also said the Prime Minister's statement to the Commons on the day the dossier was published may have misled the country into believing there was "fuller and firmer" information behind the reasons. There is also expected to be criticism over the informal procedures used in the Prime Minister's office in the lead up to the war.It is not clear if any individuals will be singled out but pressure is already on John Scarlett, the head of the Joint Intelligence Committee.

The inquiry said that when the Government began considering military action against Iraq in March 2002, the intelligence was "insufficiently robust" to justify claims that Iraq was in breach of United Nations resolutions requiring it to disarm.

But despite the reprimand for Britain's intelligence services, the report stopped short of calling for the resignation of John Scarlett, chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee which drew up the dossier.

Labour left-wingers have tabled a motion calling for his removal as the head of MI6. He is due to take up the post on August 1.

Mr Blair was to address MPs in the Commons an hour after former Cabinet Secretary Lord Butler released his report.

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13155925,00.html



LATEST: Tony Blair's statement to MPs on the day of the September dossier may have reinforced the impression that there was "fuller and firmer" intelligence behind its judgments, Lord Butler has concluded.

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/