Sir, It is alleged that between March 7 and 17, 2003, the Attorney-General changed his mind about the need for a follow-up UN Resolution to 1441 to legalise the Iraq war, but the Government had only his verbal reasoning out of which to cobble the Commons written answer on March 17, 2003, that was a powerful factor in persuading the Commons to vote for the war.

The public need not be satisfied that the Attorney-General was leaned on (which he denies) for his change of view, to be dissatisfied with this procedure. If the Government needed his written opinion on March 7, it needed his written opinion all the more if he changed his mind ten days later.

For good government to be seen to be done, MPs themselves might perhaps be given the right to call for law officers’ written opinions on issues of doubtful legality on which they are required to vote.

Yours faithfully,
WILLIAM WYNDHAM,
Castlegate House,
Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1YT.
February 24.

From Mr George Galloway, MP for Glasgow Kelvin (Respect), and others

Sir, In the light of recent revelations we believe that there is an urgent need for the Attorney-General’s full written advice relating to the invasion of Iraq to be put in the public domain.

Only this action will resolve the question of the legal basis for war in Iraq.

Yours faithfully,
GEORGE GALLOWAY,
ELFYN LLWYD
(Plaid Cymru MP for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy),
ALICE MAHON
(Labour MP for Halifax),
LEMBIT OPIK
(Liberal Democrat MP for Montgomeryshire),
ALEX SALMOND
(Scottish National Party MP for Banff and Buchan),
ALAN SIMPSON
(Labour MP for Nottingham South),
c/o Stop the War Coalition,
27 Britannia Street, WC1X 9JP.
office@stopwar.org.uk
February 24.

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