Gordon Brown unveiled plans to end any question marks over the validity of the government's security and intelligence-gathering operation yesterday as he pledged to make it independent of the political process.
Gordon Brown unveiled plans to end any question marks over the validity of the government's security and intelligence-gathering operation yesterday as he pledged to make it independent of the political process.
Speaking in Baghdad, Mr Brown admitted there were lessons to be learned from Iraq about the government handling of intelligence.
In what should be widely interpreted as an attempt to draw a line in the sand over the so-called dodgy dossier presented to MPs before the Iraq war, Mr Brown revealed he had asked Sir Gus O'Donnell, Cabinet Secretary, to establish a process to ensure the political independence of security and intelligence analysis.
"I would like to see all security and intelligence analysis independent of the political process and I have asked the Cabinet Secretary to do that. I do want the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament to have a bigger role in the future."
While Mr Brown cannot credibly disassociate himself from Tony Blair's decision to go to war in Iraq in 2003, he will try to gain the moral high ground with cast-iron guarantees over the process.
It is understood a parliamentary oversight committee is on the cards. Its members, possibly made up of privy councillors, would take evidence from within the intelligence community and Parliament could account to either the Prime Minister or Parliament or both.
In Iraq, Mr Brown met Nouri al Maliki, Iraq's Prime Minister, as well as senior military officers.
Mr Brown, while hoping to bring the British troops home as soon is possible, would not be drawn on a timetable but, flanked by Des Browne, the Defence Secretary, he announced a 3.6% rise in the operational allowance for troops deployed for six months to Afghanistan and Iraq, backdated to April 1.
From September, the allowance will no longer be payable to personnel serving in the Balkans.
In his talks with Mr al Maliki, Mr Brown also discussed Iraq's economic reconstruction.
Later the Chancellor said: "I think the issue in Iraq is this - how can we help the Iraqi people not only run their own security and build a democracy but offer a prosperity they are perfectly capable of doing."
