Attorney General seeks to block Blair prosecution over Iraq War

The Attorney General is seeking to block attempts to prosecute Tony Blair over the Iraq War.

Jeremy Wright QC has formally requested to join hearings to oppose the move against the former Prime Minister.

The Guardian reports that the intervention comes after a ruling that Mr Blair was immune from being charged on the issue and that a prosecution against him could “involve details being disclosed under the Official Secrets Act”.

The private prosecution seeks the trial of Mr Blair, Jack Straw and the Attorney General at the time, Lord Goldsmith over the 2003 invasion of Iraq for the crime of “aggression”.

Mr Wright is reportedly claiming the case is hopeless because there is no crime of aggression known to English law.

But a newspaper quoted a 2003 memo authored by Lord Goldsmith which stated: “Aggression is a crime under customary international law which automatically forms part of domestic law.”

A spokeswoman for the Attorney General told the Press Association: “He is seeking to intervene in this case because it raises issues about the scope of criminal law.”

She added: “It is not unusual for the Attorney General to intervene in these sort of cases in order to represent the public interest.”