Chilcot Iraq war report 'should accept Blair's belief'

The Chilcot report will be discredited if it fails to accept Tony Blair "honestly" believed war in Iraq was the right action, an MP has said.

Cynon Valley MP Ann Clwyd served as the then prime minister's special envoy on human rights in Iraq.

She pointed out David Cameron and most of his cabinet ministers voted in favour of going to war in 2003.

Mr Cameron said he remembered her "powerful speeches" but urged MPs to wait for the report, expected in July.

During Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Ms Clwyd said: "In 2003, the current prime minister and most of today's cabinet joined Tony Blair and his cabinet of the time in voting for war in Iraq.

"This is historically factual and can't be denied.

"Will not the judgement of Chilcot be discredited if the report fails to recognise that the then prime minister honestly and genuinely believed that his actions, given the information available, were the right thing to do at the time?"

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Mr Cameron replied: "I remember very powerful speeches she made at the time with all the concerns that she had for people in Iraq, particularly the Kurds, I remember that well.

"We should wait for the Chilcot report. We should wait for what it has to say.

"I have absolutely no idea what is in it. All I do know is that its publication is coming quite soon."