Gagging

It seems that the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war is operating with at least one hand tied behind its back.

During yesterday's questioning of Lord Goldsmith (the government's attorney general at the time of the Iraq war) it emerged that the government has not sanctioned the release of documents that show how Lord Goldsmith's legal advice changed.

Neither Sir John Chilcot nor Lord Goldsmith were particularly happy that they could not refer to these secret memos.

An inquiry that is hampered in this way, will produce a result of very little substance.

That of course is exactly what Gordon Brown wanted when he sanctioned the inquiry.