One of the worlds favourite films is Groundhog Day. It amuses, mocks, and then ultimately celebrates small town America and simple values; but its lexicon has changed how we see repetitive days or events forever. Few films can claim such a time changing phrase.
Into this context one places the Chilcot Inquiry into Iraq.
Following on from the efforts of Lords Butler, Hutton and others before it, the Chilcot inquiry is not a trial; it has no lawyers to assist it - although it could really do with some forensic oomph. There is little that is new that has come out of the evidence of Goldsmith, Straw and Blair. Some, such as Campbell, have fared badly. But in truth the evidence is clear and everyone on the doorstep knows it: we went to war to get rid of a terrible man, but did so in a dishonest way.
What strikes me as I knock on doors in the last few weeks has been the repeated reference by voters to the Iraq war and the way Blair deceived parliament. This has been most prevalent in some surprising places - West Wylam is natural Labour territory,yet they were scathing about the former Prime Minister. Yet I do not believe that Chilcot will necessarily change that much.
On this issue I found once more and post here Matthew Parris brilliant piece on Chilcot in the Times http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/matthew_parris/article6990391.ece
