No chance of prosecution against Blair over Iraq

Campaign group had been collecting evidence to prosecute Blair over Iraq
But recent case law has established that only parliament can sanction him
Reg Keys, who lost his son in Iraq, says the legal system has let him down

By Mark Nicol Defence Correspondent For The Mail On Sunday

Published: 01:47 GMT, 17 December 2017 | Updated: 01:48 GMT, 17 December 2017

Reg Keys, whose son died in Iraq, was leading the drive to have Blair prosecuted but has been told there is no hope

Reg Keys, whose son died in Iraq, was leading the drive to have Blair prosecuted but has been told there is no hope

Families of British troops killed in Iraq have been told they have no chance of securing a prosecution against Tony Blair, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The Iraq War Families Campaign Group raised £150,000 and instructed lawyers to find evidence that the former Prime Minister committed ‘misfeasance in public office’ by allegedly misleading Parliament before the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Now legal advisers have told the families that while there is evidence that Mr Blair acted unconstitutionally in a bid to justify the war, it would be futile to continue any legal action against him.

Relatives of fallen troops were told in a letter that recent case law, including the case brought by Gina Miller against the Government over Brexit, meant they could not win.

The campaign group is led by Reg Keys and Roger Bacon, both of whom lost sons during the war, which cost the lives of 179 UK Servicemen and women.

The group financed its legal fighting fund through crowdfunding, raising the required amount to instruct solicitors in a fortnight.

Last night Mr Keys, whose son Tom was killed in June 2003, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘It is very frustrating. Blair is immune.

‘I think most people realise now that he misled Parliament but we’ve been defeated by the legal system in this country.

‘It is basically impossible to get justice for Tom and all the others.’

Recent case law, including the case brought by Gina Miller over Brexit, established that parliament and not courts has sanctioning power over such offences

Recent case law, including the case brought by Gina Miller over Brexit, established that parliament and not courts has sanctioning power over such offences

After being instructed by the campaign group, legal firm McCue and Partners studied relevant case law and Sir John Chilcot’s report on the war to find evidence against Mr Blair and other Government figures including former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and ex-Attorney General Lord Goldsmith.

The Chilcot Report blasted Mr Blair for rushing into war on the basis of flawed intelligence and amid questions over the conflict’s legality. But Sir John concluded that only a court could decide if he had acted illegally.

McCue and Partners concluded that ‘there is no prospect of any civil proceedings, or any other action, being successfully brought before the English courts’ adding ‘in Miller, the Supreme Court settled the issue in holding that these are political not legal matters, over which Parliament, not the courts, have sanctioning power’.

‘We understand this will come as a disappointment to you.’

Mr Blair was unavailable for comment last night.