Iraq War Report Delayed For 'Some Months'

The Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war will not be published until after the General Election, it has emerged in a series of letters.

In a letter to Prime Minister David Cameron, chairman Sir John Chilcot said "very substantial progress" has been made in the inquiry, but there was "no realistic prospect" it could be published before May and that completion of the work would take "some further months".

Sir John said he had reached an agreement on the details of notes and conversations between former prime minister Tony Blair and US president George W Bush, which will be published in the report.

The report has been delayed by disagreement over the release of the confidential messages, but the agreement means the "gist" of the communications would be published after Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood blocked the publication of the full exchanges.

Sir John added that the "Maxwellisation process" - the procedure where individuals due to be criticised in an official report are sent details of the criticisms in advance so they can respond prior to its publication - was currently underway into the inquiry's draft report.

The inquiry was set up by the Labour government six years ago and heard from its final witnesses in February 2011.

Mr Cameron wrote to Sir John saying that he would have liked to have seen the report released before the election, but accepted that publication was a matter for the inquiry.

He wrote: "I have to respect your decision and fully accept that it will not now be possible for you to submit your final report to the Government and Parliament until after the election.

"I hope very much that you will be able to do so shortly thereafter."

Speaking at Downing Street on Wednesday, he rejected suggestions that the delay made it appear a cover-up was taking place.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg says the public will find the latest delay "incomprehensible".

In a letter to Sir John, Mr Clegg wrote: "Neither administrative processes nor a constant back and forth between the inquiry and witnesses criticised should frustrate an independent report so important to the country's future from being published as soon as possible .

"If the findings are not published with a sense of immediacy, there is a real danger the public will assume the report is being 'sexed down' by individuals rebutting criticisms put to them by the inquiry, whether that is the case or not.

"The inquiry into Iraq will both resolve the issues of the past, and set the tone for future British foreign policy. We cannot wait any longer for these lessons to be learned."

The latest news of a delay comes as MPs prepare to stage a Commons debate next week on the matter.

Former Attorney General and Conservative MP Dominic Grieve said the public deserved reasons for the "extraordinary delay".

He told Sky News: "It's absolutely imperative we should have an explanation as to what is going on. I think a chronology setting out what's happened... is essential."

Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker told Sky the delay was "not acceptable to the British people" and that the public should have had the findings before the election.

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Gallery: Protests At Tony Blair's Chilcot Appearances In 2010 And 2011

Protesters gather outside Westminster's Queen Elizabeth II building for Tony Blair's appearances before the Chilcot Inquiry in 2010 and 2011

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