Hague attacks Brown's efforts to delay Iraq Inquiry

William Hague has accused Gordon Brown of "the very opposite of open and accountable government" after it emerged that he will not give evidence to the Iraq Inquiry until after the General Election.

The Shadow Foreign Secretary said that the public will rightly ask why it is that numerous officials have given evidence to the Inquiry about their role in carrying out the Government's policy on Iraq, but not a single Minister has had to face questioning.

William said that it was becoming "clearer and clearer" why Gordon Brown delayed setting up the Inquiry for so long after it should have begun its work, and he added:

"His intention throughout has been to ensure that the Inquiry won’t report until after the coming General Election – and now we have the added effect of Ministers not having to give evidence at all before the election."