Sir Edward Leigh, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Gainsborough, has attacked the rush to invade the Middle Eastern country in 2003.

“Never again must we be led astray along a path towards a dangerous war such as the one that has unleashed untold misery in Iraq,” the MP, who voted against the invasion, told colleagues debating the 6,000-page report of the inquiry chaired by Sir John Chilcot.

“Hundreds of thousands of people have died as a result of decisions taken in this House. I say never again. As ordinary Members of Parliament, if this ever happens again, we must be prepared to question the Executive and, whatever the cost to our career, vote against the Executive and vote down war.”