Garrison Town MP renews his opposition to Iraq War

12.22.00am GMT Tue 25th Mar 2008

Colchester MP Bob Russell has publicly renewed his opposition to the Iraq War five years after Britain and the United States invaded Iraq on the pretext they were there to destroy weapons of mass destruction - weapons which it was later revealed did not exist.

Mr Russell joined other Liberal Democrat MPs in a silent vigil opposite the Houses of Parliament. The Liberal Democrats were the only major political party to vote against the war, whereas both the Labour Government and the Conservative Party were united in their support of joining the Americans in the invasion in March 2003.

Looking back to what happened five years ago, Mr Russell said: "Although I was against the war, once it started I gave 100 per cent support to our troops - as did every Liberal Democrat MP. It is right to support our troops even when the Government who sent them into battle was wrong to do so."

Mr Russell has subsequently visited Iraq through his membership of the Armed Forces Bill Committee, and last month he visited British troops in Southern Afghanistan as part of his involvement in the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme. He is a Parliamentary Advisor to The Royal British Legion.