News Release

15th June 2009

FABRICANT WELCOMES IRAQ MEMORIAL TO ALREWAS

Sitting in the House of Commons Chamber today (Monday 15th June), Michael Fabricant welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement that an Iraq War Memorial will be constructed in his constituency at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire though Michael says: "I am less happy with the news that the inquiry into the Iraq War will be held in secret by a small group of Gordon Brown's hand-picked team".

Gordon Brown said in the House of Commons ".... At its peak, a force of 46,000 served tours of duty in support of operations in Iraq. In total, 120,000 served over the period of the entire conflict. 179 Britons died. 222 were seriously or very seriously injured.

"I said in my statement in December that the Memorial Wall in Basra would be brought home. I can now confirm that it will form part of a new Memorial Wall to be built at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. And just as it is right that we should pay tribute to the memory of those who have fallen, and the wounded, so it is right that we should celebrate the safe return of their comrades, and their shared achievements."

Michael adds: "I welcome the news that the Iraq Memorial will be built at the National Memorial Arboretum. The NMA is fast becoming the National centre of remembrance for our fallen and injured. I hope that in their name, the inquiry into the causes of the Iraq War will be open, transparent, and honest. A secret inquiry will never satisfy those who believe that the Labour Cabinet connived in an unjust war."