Tony Blair should face trial for war crimes over Iraq - Jeremy Corbyn

Tony Blair should be charged with war crimes for ordering the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Labour leadership frontrunner Jeremy Corbyn has claimed.

Mr Corbyn was one of the most rebellious Labour MPs during the decade when Mr Blair was prime minister, voting against the Iraq War, ID cards and foundation hospitals.

                                                                  Mr Jeremy Corbyn

Speaking in an interview on BBC2's Newsnight, Mr Corbyn said Mr Blair will have to answer for his decision to join US President George Bush sending in troops to overthrow Saddam Hussein.

''We went into a war that was catastrophic, that was illegal, that cost us a lot of money, that lost a lot of lives, and the consequences are still played out with migrant deaths in the Mediterranean, refugees all over the region,'' Mr Corbyn said.

On Blair charged with war crimes.

''If he's committed a war crime, yes,'' Corbyn continued. ''Everyone who's committed a war crime should be. I think it was an illegal war, I'm confident about that, indeed (former UN secretary general) Kofi Annan confirmed it was an illegal war, and therefore he has to explain to that. Is he going to be tried for it, I don't know. Could he be tried for it? Possibly.''


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