Charles Kennedy seeks inquiry into Blair

Charles Kennedy made a new effort yesterday to hold Tony Blair to account for his handling of the Iraqi war by proposing a special committee of MPs to investigate relations between the prime minister and parliament.

His action, which is aimed in part at regaining the moral high ground on this issue, takes the unusual form of an amendment to the resolution on the Queen's speech. It will be published today, coinciding with the first impeachment motion tabled in the Commons for 199 years, accusing Mr Blair of " gross misconduct" in connection with the war.

Both are intended to cover the same ground, including the misleading of parliament about the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. But the Liberal Democrats described the impeachment motion as "political posturing" and "an outdated procedure".

Labour MPs will find it easier to back Mr Kennedy's amendment, because they will not bring their own leader into disrepute if they call for a committee to be established. Mr Kennedy announced his intentions in his response to the Queen's Speech. He said the amendment was essential, because of the "remarkable series of parliamentary occasions during the past year", including the publication of the Hutton and Butler reports, the controversy surrounding the events leading to the war, and the fresh outbreak of violence in Falluja.

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/queensspeech2004/story/0,15521,1358429,00.html