Ulster Unionist MP Danny Kinahan has warned of the dangers of those in power misleading the public and parliamentarians.

Mr. Kinahan said:

“Today was a very sombre and sobering day in Westminster as the Chilcot Report confirmed our fears that Tony Blair was so intent on supporting the Bush Administration’s desire for conflict in Iraq that he planned for it long before it was brought before the House of Commons for consideration.

“The intelligence the Blair Government claimed they had on weapons of mass destruction was used to support Government statements in a way which conveyed certainty without acknowledging the limitations of the information, the predicted consequences of the removal of Saddam were utterly underestimated and the Ministry of Defence did not provide and cater for some of the most basic needs of our servicemen and women.

“As much as I am dismayed at the findings of the report, we must remember that the Iraq war is not over for the service personnel that suffer from the mental and physical injuries inflicted upon them or the bereaved families that must endure a lifetime of anguish. The UK Government must ensure that these people are cared for throughout the duration of their entire lives. There are many who will seek legal action against the government, many who will bare bitter resentment for Tony Blair but we elected representatives must all reiterate our promise to do all that we can for those that were so devastatingly impacted by not just this conflict but all conflicts.

“We have just finished the review into how and why we went to war in Iraq but we must always continue to review how we can best look after serving personnel, veterans and their families.”