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."