Will we ever learn the truth?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/86221 /Straw-will-veto-quot-Iraq-minutes

The Government will exercise veto powers to block publication of key Cabinet minutes under freedom of information laws, it has been announced.

'freedom of information' / 'veto powers to block publication of key Cabinet minutes' ?????

Surely this is a contradiction of terms?

Justice Secretary Jack Straw said he could not permit the release of records from 2003 discussions over the invasion of Iraq because it would cause too much "damage" to democracy.

'Cause too much damage to democracy'??????

Does he mean there is no such thing?

[rov1200]

He has just announced this in the commons. Strangely after a lot of bluster the opposition spokesman agreed with it. The problem about the Iraq war was the decision was not really made in cabinet but in Tony Blairs sofa government where just a few of the ministers were present and was rubber stamped afterwards by the cabinet.

We will never get the true story as this sofa government will have no written records or minutes made. That is why Gordon Brown said that these type of decisions will be made by the House of Commons.

[Gromit]

Bunch of Hypocrites.

Covering their own backs more like. If they now think the decision was wrong we should not be in Iraq. If they still stand by them, they should publish the minutes that led to that decision.

[rov1200]

The unnelected Alistair Campbell, Tony Blairs' advisor, also had some input into the decision by liaising with MI6 as to the contents of the dodgy dossier (45 minutes fame) which convinced the commons to side with Blair. He may have been part of the sofa government as well.

[fredpuli47]

Interesting that it was a Labour Government that decided to release the Cabinet minutes of the Conservative Government when their subject was the Exchange Rate Mechanism. Only a cynic would think that they released those to embarrass the Conservatives and make political capital ! Having set that precedent the current Labour Government has decided that releasing minutes is not a good idea after all.!
Surely it is good sense that Cabinet minutes be not released. Members of the cabinet might find it difficult to have a proper debate if they had to think all the time about everything they said being made public.

[Kromovaracun]

I thought they weren't allowed to release them for 25 years anyway? That's certainly been the case for all previous govts (not accounting for leaks etc)

[R1Geezer]

we already know the truth, we know what happenned what was decided. What else would you like to know? This is just the minutes so presumably we can know who was in favour/against and start some sort of witch hunt.

[Julnar]

I think it highlights just how secretive government decisions are in this country. I accept there is a need for a degree of secrecy with regards to matters of national security, but I do believe there is a culture at Whitehall generally that is not always in tune with my own idea of an open and free democracy. I would like to know how secretive we are in comparison with other nations. I would suspect, more so.

[anotheoldgit]

I once heard that we are one of the most secretive nations in the world.