The Chilcot Inquiry

The Iraq Inquiry, chaired by Sir John Chilcot, was set up in 2009 to look at decision-making in relation to the invasion of Iraq and was originally expected to publish its report quite quickly. There have been repeated delays, caused by the broad scope of the inquiry, arguments about the disclosure of documents, and the so-called Maxwellisation process, whereby individuals criticised in the report get an opportunity to respond before publication. Some hoped that it would be published before the 2015 general election but that did not happen. In October 2015 the inquiry chairman said that it would be published in June or July 2016. In May the date of 6 July 2016 was finally set for the report’s publication.