Iraq Inquiry: Families say report must be published this year

Relatives of UK soldiers killed in Iraq say they will begin legal action if the inquiry into the conflict fails to publish its report by December.

The soldiers' families say inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot has treated them with "contempt".

They had set a deadline for him to announce when people facing criticism from the report needed to respond.

Sir John last week said the so-called "Maxwellisation" process was over but did not announce a publication date.

In a letter to the Foreign Affairs Committee, external, Sir John said he would write to Prime Minister David Cameron to set out a timetable for publication "as soon as I am able".

Sir John - who began his work in 2009 - said there was "inevitably, further work for my colleagues and I to do to evaluate those submissions, which are detailed and substantial, in order to establish with confidence the time needed to complete the inquiry's remaining work".

Lawyers representing the families of 29 soldiers now say they will go to the High Court if the inquiry findings are not revealed by the end of the year.

In a letter to Sir John, they say "in the absence of any reasonable, transparent and full explanation why you cannot, we expect you to write to the prime minister within one month with a date for publication, which should be by the end of the year".

"Again, any date beyond that must be fully justified... If you fail to do so, we will continue with our legal challenge."

The families said they did "not believe" it was a coincidence that the Maxwellisation was completed days before they intended to launch their legal action.

They claimed the inquiry had given the witnesses "every attention and possible courtesy" while the families had been "side-lined and ignored".

"You claim that your inquiry is open and fair - maybe to the Maxwellees, but not to us...

"It is with regret that we must tell you that such hypocrisy is astonishing. Instead of due care and concern, we feel you have treated us with contempt."