No Justification for Iraq War

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 14th Jul 2004

Commenting on the release of the United States Senate Intelligence Report into the Iraq War, Sir Menzies Campbell MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Foreign Secretary, said: "Brick by brick the case for war against Saddam Hussein is being demolished on both sides of the Atlantic. The Senate's report confines itself to American intelligence failings but it is deeply significant for Mr Blair and the Labour Government." In the UK, the Butler Report was published on Wednesday 14 July, and as expected, failed to blame any individual, but criticised a general failure of the intelligence system. However, the conclusions must be that Labour went to war on a false premise, with the full support of the Conservative party.

Charles Kennedy, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, responding to the Prime Minister's recent comments on weapons of mass destruction, said: "The Prime Minister diminishes himself and his office by not acknowledging what everyone else accepts, which is that there was no serious threat from weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. When Jeremy Greenstock is prepared to appear on television and frankly admit this, the Prime Minister just looks silly. It's time he came to terms with the reality."

Sir Menzies Campbell earlier commented on the annual report of the Intelligence and Security Committee. He said: "It is a matter of profound concern that the Committee should feel compelled to make such trenchant criticism of the Government's response to its report of September 2003 on weapons of mass destruction. The effectiveness of this Committee's scrutiny of the intelligence services depends ultimately on co-operation and candour from the Government. On this occasion the Government has failed to fulfil its obligation to the Committee and to Parliament."