Straw vetoes publication of cabinet Iraq war minutes – The Guardian

Posted February 25th, 2009 in freedom of information, Iraq, news, public interest, veto, war by sally

“Jack Straw today said he would take the unprecedented step of vetoing the release of cabinet minutes relating to the decision to invade Iraq.”

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The Guardian, 24th February 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jack Straw issues ‘veto’ certificate under the Freedom of Information Act – Ministry of Justice

Posted February 24th, 2009 in freedom of information, Iraq, news, public interest, veto, war by sally

“Justice Secretary Jack Straw has issued a ‘veto’ certificate under section 53 of the Freedom of Information Act (2000), overruling the Information Tribunal’s decision of 27 January upholding the Information Commissioner’s decision of 19 February 2008.”

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Ministry of Justice, 23rd February 2009

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Secret Cabinet minutes on Iraq must be made public, tribunal rules – The Times

Posted January 28th, 2009 in freedom of information, Iraq, news, war by sally

“Minutes of Cabinet discussions on the legality of war in Iraq have been ordered to be made public by the Information Tribunal, which today rejected appeals by the head of the civil service to keep them secret.”

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The Times, 27th January 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

New admission over legal advice on Iraq invasion – The Guardian

Posted January 13th, 2009 in attorney general, Iraq, news, war by sally

“Government fails to provide proof that the former attorney general was not pressured to change his initial opinion that 2003 invasion could be illegal.”

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The Guardian, 13th January 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Freed from his judicial shackles, Lord Bingham delivers his judgment on the Iraq war – The Times

Posted November 20th, 2008 in attorney general, Iraq, judges, news, war by sally

“Never underestimate the determination of a quiet man — or the power of a recently retired senior law lord.”

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The Times, 19th November 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Lord Bingham attacks Bush for ‘cynical’ disregard for international law – The Times

Posted November 19th, 2008 in international law, Iraq, news, war by sally

“One of Britain’s most senior legal figures has castigated the Bush administration for its ‘cynical’ disregard for the rule of international law and the UK’s record as ‘an occupying power in Iraq’.”

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The Times, 18th November 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Iraq war legal advice flawed, says ex-law lord – The

Posted November 18th, 2008 in attorney general, Iraq, news, war by sally

“Legal advice given to Tony Blair prior to the invasion of Iraq was fundamentally ‘flawed’, a former senior law lord said today.”

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The Independent, 18th November 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Iraq dossier memos ‘must be released’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 4th, 2008 in disclosure, freedom of information, Iran, news, war by sally

“Memos and emails showing how the Government’s Iraq war dossier was ‘sexed up’ must be released, the information commissioner has ordered.”

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Daily Telegraph, 4th September 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Cherie Blair: it is ‘not clear’ whether Iraq war was legal – The Guardian

Posted May 19th, 2008 in Iraq, news, war by sally

“The legal case for the 2003 Anglo-American invasion of Iraq ‘wasn’t clear’ and ‘still isn’t clear’, according to Cherie Blair who admits that she thought deeply about the war.”

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The Guardian, 17th May 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

R (Gentle and another) v Prime Minister and others [2008] UKHL 20 – WLR Daily

Posted April 11th, 2008 in armed forces, human rights, international law, Iraq, law reports, war by sally

R (Gentle and another) v Prime Minister and others [2008] UKHL 20

Art 2 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, which provided that “everyone’s right to life shall be protected by law”, did not place the Government under a duty to members of the armed forces and their families to hold a public inquiry into whether it had obtained adequate legal advice on the lawfulness under international law of the invasion of Iraq.”

WLR Daily, 10th April 2008

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Mothers lose bid for Iraq public inquiry – The Times

Posted April 9th, 2008 in armed forces, Iraq, news, war by sally

“The mothers of two young soldiers killed in Iraq today lost their legal attempt in the House of Lords to force the Government to hold a public inquiry into Britain’s involvement in the conflict.”

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The Times, 9th April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Legal bid to force Iraq inquiry – BBC News

Posted April 9th, 2008 in armed forces, human rights, Iraq, news, war by sally

“Nine Law Lords are to rule on another legal bid to force a public inquiry into Britain’s involvement in Iraq.”

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BBC News, 9th April 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Opposition push for immediate Iraq inquiry faces defeat – The Independent

Posted March 18th, 2008 in Iraq, news, war by sally

“MPs will vote next week on whether there should be a full-scale inquiry into the Iraq war to ensure that lessons are learnt from the mistakes made.”

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The Independent, 18th March 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The Big Question: Should cabinet minutes be released, and what difference would it make? – The Independent

“Why are we asking this now?

Because the Government has been ordered to release the minutes of two key cabinet meetings held in the run up to the Iraq invasion in 2003. The Information Commissioner, Richard Thomas, has ordered the Government to hand over the minutes after it initially turned down a request for them made under the Freedom of Information Act.”

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The Independent, 28th February 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Backstory: Iraq legal advice – The Guardian

Posted February 27th, 2008 in attorney general, Iraq, special report, war by sally

“Shortly before the start of the Iraq war, the then-attorney general Lord Goldsmith published a nine-paragraph statement saying why he thought the invasion would be legal under international law.”

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The Guardian, 26th February 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government ‘must’ release Cabinet’s Iraq minutes – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 27th, 2008 in disclosure, Iraq, news, war by sally

“The Government has been ordered to release the minutes of Cabinet meetings where military action against Iraq was discussed.”

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Daily Telegraph, 26th February 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Mothers of Iraq victims take case for inquiry to law lords – The Times

Posted February 12th, 2008 in armed forces, Iraq, news, war by sally

“The ‘overwhelming’ body of legal advice received by the Government in the lead-up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003 was that it would be unlawful without a proper mandate by the United Nations, nine law lords were told yesterday.”

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The Times, 12th February 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Law lords to rule whether decision to invade Iraq warrants inquiry – The Guardian

Posted February 4th, 2008 in Iraq, news, war by sally

“Questions about the legality of Tony Blair’s decision to join the US in invading Iraq will come under the spotlight before a rarely convened panel of nine law lords in Britain’s highest court next week.”

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The Guardian, 4th February 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Ex-forces heads reject war votes – BBC News

Posted February 1st, 2008 in armed forces, war by sally

“Four former chiefs of the defence staff have attacked the prime minister’s plans to let Parliament have the final say on sending troops to war.”

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BBC News, 31st January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The Governance of Britain – War Powers and Treaties: Limiting Executive Powers – Ministry of Justice

Posted October 26th, 2007 in armed forces, constitutional law, parliament, treaties, war by sally

“This consultation document seeks views on the role of Parliament in decisions to commit the armed forces to armed conflict abroad and on the ratification of treaties. It follows on from the ‘Governance of Britain’ green paper.”

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Ministry of Justice, 25th October 2007

Source: www.justice.gov.uk