Mothers lose inquiry bid into Iraq war

Published on Wednesday 9 April 2008 13:39

THE mothers of two young soldiers killed in Iraq have lost their legal bid to force the Government to hold a public inquiry into the UK's involvement in the conflict.

A committee of nine Law Lords today dismissed an appeal by Rose Gentle and Beverley Clarke, whose lawyers argued that the Blair government breached its duty to the men and women of the armed forces by failing to ensure that the invasion was lawful and justified.

At a hearing in the House of Lords in February, Rabinder Singh QC said: "That duty is owed to soldiers who are under the unique compulsory control of the State and have to obey orders. They have to put their lives in harm's way if necessary because their country demands it.

"There is what some people call a military covenant between the State and those who are literally prepared to put their lives at risk for the sake of their country."

The case was brought against Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Defence Secretary Des Browne and Attorney General Baroness Scotland. The campaigners said the Government's promise of an inquiry "when the time is right" was not good enough.

Fusilier Gordon Gentle, from Glasgow, of the Royal Highland Fusiliers, died in a roadside bomb attack in Basra in 2004. Trooper David Clarke, from Staffordshire, died in 2003 in a "friendly fire" incident west of Basra.