8:34am Wednesday 24th June 2009
By Anika Bourley
Shipley MP Philip Davies last night wrote to Gordon Brown demanding views of parents whose sons or daughters have died at war be heard.
Mr Davies was contacted by Pauline and Richard Stead, parents of Flight Lieutenant David Stead, of Burley-in-Wharfedale, who died after a Hercules C130K aircraft was shot down near Baghdad in January, 2005.
Last week the Prime Minister had said the inquiry into the Iraq war would be held in private for security reasons but later said some sessions could be in public.
But the parents of the RAF pilot are outraged the Prime Minister could suggest holding the inquiry in private.
Mr and Mrs Stead said: “We would like to express our outrage at Gordon Brown’s announcement that the long-awaited Iraq inquiry is to be held in private. To those of us who gave the life of a son or daughter to this conflict this is the biggest insult that he could have afforded both to them and to us.
“If our sons/daughters were willing to offer up their lives for Queen and country, Gordon Brown owes it to them to display all the facts publicly, otherwise just what is the purpose of this inquiry hiding under a cloak like this?
“If, as Gordon Brown has stated ‘No British documents and no British witness will be beyond the scope of the inquiry.’’ then this should be done in an open and transparent way instead of him hiding behind national security and apportioning damage to Britain’s military capability.”
Mr Davies, who is the Steads’ MP, has now written to the Prime Minister outlining the concerns.
He said: “Views of parents and relatives who have experienced loss first hand should hold weight. I will continue pressing the case for the family.
“This is important, we all have a right to know what happening and more than anyone the families of those who died serving our country do, it weighs very heavily.”
The call comes as Tories today hold an opposition day debate on the Iraq inquiry.
Flt Lt Stead was 35 when he died leaving a wife and two young children.
He was among ten servicemen killed when the Hercules was hit by enemy fire causing a fuel tank to explode. Last year an inquest heard that the RAF had failed to protect the fuel tanks of its Hercules fleet with suppressant foam which could have prevented the tragedy.
e-mail: newsdesk@telegraphandargus.co.uk
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/trade_directory/