Why Tories want Iraq probe

Analysis
By Nick Assinder
Political correspondent, BBC News website

The Tories, backed by other opposition parties, are determined to keep up the pressure on ministers to hold a full inquiry into the Iraq war - but why?

Mr Hague wants an inquiry to start this year

Commons leader Jack Straw announced in February that an inquiry would be held "in due course".

And even the prime minister has conceded that the time for an inquiry would come, although he has always insisted that is not while British troops are still in Iraq.

One of the answers came from Gordon Brown as he visited Baghdad - and when he appeared to distance himself from the infamous "dodgy dossier" in 2002 and on which the prime minister based his case for war.

And by announcing that cabinet secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell would ensure that, in future, security and intelligence analysis was kept "independent of the political process" he appeared to join the criticisms that that had not happened over the production of that dossier.

The Tories want all this out in the open and believe only a full inquiry will get to the bottom of the affair and, presumably, point the finger of blame.

Hutton probe

Mr Brown has repeated the government line that now is not the time for a new probe, and the prime minister's spokesman has again pointed out that there have already been four inquiries into the war.

They have, however, been criticised for concentrating only on limited aspects of the war and surrounding events - for example the Hutton probe into the death of Dr David Kelly and the Butler investigation into the intelligence on weapons of mass destruction.

Mr Brown is visiting British troops in Baghdad

What the opposition parties want is a cross-party, Falklands-style probe that can look at every aspect of the war, the events leading up to it, decisions taken since and any lessons to be learned.

And, while Mr Blair has not offered such an inquiry, that is pretty much what is now expected to come at some point in the future.

The Tories are not pressing for anything to happen immediately, but Shadow foreign secretary William Hague says it is important it starts before the end of the year before memories fade and, pointedly, emails disappear.

He also claims only an inquiry can restore trust in government and its decision making - another pointed jibe at the lack of trust in the government.

Seizing on Mr Brown's comments, he said it was now clear the chancellor was distancing himself from the 2002 dossier and there were divisions in the government.

However, many in Westminster believe Gordon Brown will bring a new approach to Iraq - with the emphasis on reconciliation and, frankly, withdrawal - and part of that might include the announcement of a future inquiry.

It is also convenient for the opposition to be reminding people of the Iraq war just as the prime minister is attempting to emphasis the positives of his reign during his farewell world tour.

And, of course, the vote - although almost certain to be won by the government - will remind people that there is still deep-seated opposition to the war on Labour's backbenches.