Annette Brooke MP calls for apology on Iraq

12.00.00am GMT Fri 23rd Mar 2007

Annette Brooke, Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, has called on the Labour and Conservative parties to apologise for their support for the invasion of Iraq.

Annette Brooke was the only Dorset MP to vote against the invasion of Iraq. Reflecting on those events, she said:

"Four years ago, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown led Britain into the war in Iraq. The Conservatives were the cheerleaders for the war. They attacked the Liberal Democrats for being opposed to this disastrous military venture.

"The war to scrap weapons of mass destruction achieved nothing because there were no weapons of mass destruction. The war that was meant to bring stability to the Middle East region has made an unstable situation far worse. And the war that was meant to make the world safer from terrorism has created a breeding ground for terrorism.

"Now, four years on, an opinion poll carried out for the BBC shows nearly two out of three people in the UK believe the invasion to be a mistake.

"It is time for Labour and the Conservatives to apologise to the people of Britain. This war has made our country less safe, failed to achieve its main aims and is costing us £2.5 million a day to maintain the occupation, quite apart from the human cost.

"Given the lack of UK influence over coalition strategy, the deepening sectarian conflict, and the increasing antipathy of the Iraqi people to the coalition forces, the time has come for a controlled exit. We have done all we can and our presence is exacerbating the situation. The process of withdrawal should begin in May and end in October. It is time to go."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

The Allied invasion of Iraq began on 20th March 2003. A recent BBC poll shows that 60% of people in Britain now believe the invasion of Iraq was a mistake. [BBC]