Event

Prime Minister's Iraq meeting, 23 July 2002

Meeting at Downing Street of the British Prime Minister with ministers and intelligence chiefs, recorded in the "Downing Street memo".

6 links, 3 backed by primary records

Connections 6

British government the meeting's participants Scholarship & press 1
Matthew Rycroft wrote the minute Scholarship & press 1
Richard Dearlove "C": reported on his talks in Washington; later challenged the word "fixed" Primary record 2
Secret Intelligence Service its chief reported on Washington Primary record 2
Tony Blair Prime Minister; chaired the meeting Primary record 2

Timeline 1 date

Proof 2 sources

The secret Downing Street memo (Matthew Rycroft to David Manning, "Iraq: Prime Minister's meeting, 23 July", S 195/02, printed in The Sunday Times, 1 May 2005), The Sunday Times, 1 May 2005. Scholarship & press Archived copy
IRAQ: PRIME MINISTER'S MEETING, 23 JULY
DAVID MANNING From: Matthew Rycroft Date: 23 July 2002 S 195 /02
Copy addressees and you met the Prime Minister on 23 July to discuss Iraq.
The Report of the Iraq Inquiry (Chilcot), Volume II, HC 265-II (section 3.3, Development of UK strategy and options, April to July 2002), The Iraq Inquiry, Report of a Committee of Privy Counsellors, 6 Jul 2016. Primary record
Sir Richard Dearlove reported that there was “a perceptible shift in attitude” in Washington: “Military action was now seen as inevitable.”
Sir Richard Dearlove reported that the US had already taken a decision on
TB said he needed to be convinced first of the workability of the military plan, and second of an equally workable political strategy.

Page history 1 change