Jeremy Corbyn Calls for Chilcot-Style Inquiry into UK’s Role in Gaza Conflict

[Social Media]

 

Jeremy Corbyn has called on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to launch an independent inquiry into the UK’s involvement in Israel’s military actions in Gaza, similar to the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq War. In a letter to the prime minister, which was seen by Sky News, the former Labour leader raised concerns that British officials may have been complicit in serious breaches of international law due to decisions taken by the government.  

 

Now serving as an independent MP for Islington North, Corbyn expressed frustration over the lack of answers regarding the continued sale of F-35 jet components to Israel, the role of UK military bases, and the legal interpretation of genocide. He accused the government of responding with "evasion, obstruction, and silence" instead of transparency. This lack of clarity, he argued, has kept the public "in the dark over the ways in which the responsibilities of government have been discharged."  

 

Drawing comparisons to the Iraq War inquiry led by Sir John Chilcot, Corbyn warned that "history is repeating itself." The Chilcot report, published in 2016 after years of delays, concluded that the UK’s decision to invade Iraq was based on "flawed intelligence and assessments." It also criticised then-Prime Minister Tony Blair for assuring US President George W. Bush of UK support "whatever" happened, months before the invasion. Furthermore, the report found that the process by which the attorney general determined the war’s legality—without a second UN resolution—was "far from satisfactory."  

 

In his letter, Corbyn insisted that "many people believe the government has taken decisions that have implicated officials in the gravest breaches of international law." He maintained that these allegations would persist unless there was a "comprehensive, public, independent inquiry with the legal power to establish the truth."  

 

Corbyn, who was suspended from the Labour Party in 2020 over a dispute regarding antisemitism and later barred from standing as a Labour candidate in the general election, affirmed that he would continue working with colleagues to explore every possible avenue for securing an independent investigation. In his view, "transparency and accountability" were essential to ensuring that the government’s actions were properly scrutinised.

 

Based on a report by Sky News  2025-03-07