A SOUTH Essex MP has said he “wrestles with his conscience” over his decision to vote for the invasion of Iraq – after the Chilcot Inquiry made a damning critique of the run up to the conflict.

Sir John Chilcot, tasked seven years ago with investigating the circumstances surrounding the invasion of Iraq in 2003, announced his findings yesterday.

He concluded all peaceful options for disarming Saddam Hussein had not been exhausted and that therefore war was not a last resort.

Tory Sir David Amess, who has represented Southend West since 1997, voted for the invasion in the House of Commons on March 18, 2003, but said he was “misled” by Tony Blair’s Labour government.

He said: “It is an absolute outrage that we now have the categorical evidence of the lies, deception and delusion in the way the then-Prime Minister behaved and ran the Government.

“My heart goes out to the families who lost loved ones in that terrible conflict. Without any question the Middle East in particular has been destabilised and terrorism has been brought to our shores and the rest of the world much more quickly than ever might otherwise have been the case.

“Whilst I wrestle with my own conscience for believing what I was told on the night of the debate and the subsequent vote, the then Prime Minister must take full responsibility for his actions and consequences must now follow from his culpability.”

Then-Rochford and Southend East MP Sir Teddy Taylor, whose son John fought in the conflict, also voted for the war.

He said: “I think it’s one of the sad stories of the Western world where we interfered and didn’t achieve a great deal for the people.

“The one lesson we would get is it’s better not to interfere if you can avoid it.”

Rayleigh and Wickford MP Mark Francois said he did not regret his decision to vote for the invasion but said lessons should be learned.

He said: “As Chilcot has pointed out, many mistakes were made, particularly in the period after the war when allied forces occupied the country.

“In the House of Commons yesterday the Prime Minister argued that some lessons have already been learned from what happened in Iraq, such as the establishment of a National Security Council at the heart of Government, to better assess and deal with future intelligence and also the enshrining of the Armed Forces Covenant in law, to help support military personnel and their families.”