Summary

  • UK went to war before peaceful options exhausted and military action was "not last resort", Chilcot report says

  • Invasion in 2003 was based on “flawed intelligence and assessments” that went unchallenged

  • Threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction were "presented with certainty that was not justified"

  • Former PM Tony Blair says decision for action made "in good faith" and he takes "full responsibility for any mistakes"

  • Families of Britons killed during Iraq War say conflict was "a fiasco" and do not rule out legal action

  • PM David Cameron says "lessons must be learned" and announces two-day Commons debate next week

  • Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says war was "act of military aggression launched on a false pretence"

  1. Reaction to Blair commentspublished at 14:38 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

    Some comments from journalists and commentators listening to Tony Blair's statement

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  2. Blair statement 'unapologetic'published at 14:35 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

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  3. Tim Farron: 'Complete absence of planning'published at 14:35 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

    Tim Farron also suggested Tony Blair's "reckless and complete absence of any plan for what would come next" led to the deaths of British 179 servicemen and women and more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians.

    The Lib Dem leader told the Commons: "What has come next is the fuelling of what is now ISIS, Daesh, which threatens not only Iraq, but the Middle East and indeed the safety of all of us."

  4. Blair addresses July 2002 memopublished at 14:34 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

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  5. US State Department - no comment on Chilcot reportpublished at 14:33 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

    BBC State Department correspondent tweets ...

  6. Blair says world was different after 9/11 attackspublished at 14:32 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

    The former Labour prime minister said the world was in a different place after the 9/11 attacks on New York.

    "We were in a new world and at that time we didn't know where the next attacks would come from.

    "The report accepts that after 9/11 the calculus of risks changed significantly."

    He added that he was pleased to see the inquiry had dismissed "the conspiracy theory that I signed the UK up for war" in a deal at Crawford, Texas, in April 2002.

  7. 'Millions opposed the Iraq War'published at 14:31 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

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  8. Blair: 'No rush to war'published at 14:31 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

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  9. Blair: 'No lies'published at 14:31 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

    "There were no lies, Parliament and the Cabinet were not misled, there was no secret commitment to war, intelligence was not falsified and the decision was made in good faith", says Mr Blair.

    He highlights the report finding that he had persuaded a "reluctant US" to take the mission back to United Nations.

  10. Families 'not impressed' by Blair's statementpublished at 14:29 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

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  11. Blair 'accepts report contains criticism'published at 14:29 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

    Tony Blair

    Mr Blair says he accepts Sir John Chilcot's report makes serious criticisms over the way decisions were made.

  12. 'Blair hiding behind 9/11'published at 14:27 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

    After Tony Blair said that the attacks of 11 September 2001 "changed everything", Channel 4 News anchor Jon Snow tweeted: 

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  13. 'I take responsibility' - Blairpublished at 14:25 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

    Mr Blair said he took responsibility for the decisions that were made and the armed forces and intelligence services should not be blamed for actions that were taken during the Iraq War.  

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  14. Blair: 'People did not die in vain'published at 14:25 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

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  15. Blair disputes Iraq would have been better off with Saddam in powerpublished at 14:24 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

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  16. 'World better without Saddam Hussein'published at 14:23 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

    Tony Blair said he maintained that "the world was and is a better place without Saddam Hussein".

    He said he understood some people would never forgive him for the war and believe that he lied but he said "the decision was made in good faith".

  17. Tony Blair's 'sorrow and regret'published at 14:22 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

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  18. Intelligence 'turned out to be wrong' - Blairpublished at 14:20 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

    "I feel deeply and sincerely in a way no words can convey," Tony Blair said.

    The intelligence assessments "turned out to be wrong" and the outcome "more bloody than we ever imagined".

  19. Blair: My hardest decisionpublished at 14:19 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

    Tony Blair is making a statement in response to the Chilcot report.

    He said the decision to go to war was the "hardest, most momentous and agonising decision" of his premiership. 

  20. Armed forces personnel 'should face no recriminations' - MPpublished at 14:05 British Summer Time 6 July 2016

    House of Commons
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    Conservative MP Richard Drax seeks assurances from the prime minister that there will be "no recriminations" against UK armed forces. He doesn't want them "chased by ruthless lawyers".

    The PM says the government is doing everything it can "to try and knock down these wholly unjustified inquiries that have been put in place".

    He adds: "By and large British forces, as you would expect, behaved entirely properly."