What happens next now the Chilcot report has been published?

The Big Questions: Grieving families, campaigners and politicians alike feel many unknowns remain

Sir John Chilcot presents the Iraq Inquiry Report at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster in London (Getty Images)

Q: Why are we asking this now?

After a seven-year wait, and half a decade late, the report into the Iraq War has finally been published. But grieving families, campaigners and politicians alike feel many unknowns remain about what the future holds for Tony Blair, those who were affected by the invasion, and the Iraqi people.

Here, we examine some of the key issues.

Q: What is the immediate fallout?

The initial statements have been made by some of the key figures. Tony Blair, who led the invasion of Iraq as prime minister in 2003, accepted responsibility for mistakes but said decisions were taken in "good faith".

Current premier David Cameron, who voted for war 13 years ago, said: "Members on all sides who voted for military action will have to take our fair share of the responsibility."

Sir John Chilcot, author of the report, said the Government "failed" in certain aspects.

Alastair Campbell, Mr Blair's former director of communications, said: "There was no secret deal," and denied "sexing up" the intelligence that led to a war declaration.

Campaigners admitted the report was not a whitewash, and the immediate reaction from outside the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in central London, where the document was being digested on Wednesday, was a positive one.

Q: Can Mr Blair be tried for war crimes?

Organisations including CND and the Stop the War Coalition have long campaigned for the former premier to be tried for war crimes, describing him as a murderer.

The fact that the Chilcot Report did not confirm the legality of military action leaves the issue open, particularly as the author found the circumstances in which the government formed a legal basis for war were "far from satisfactory".

Certainly, there is currently no involvement by UK police. It may be that families seek private prosecutions against the former prime minster.

Q: How likely is it that private prosecutions will go ahead?

Lawyers for the families of the Iraq victims have said it is too early to tell whether this will happen or not.

Lawyer Matthew Jury, whose chambers McCue & Partners represent some of the relatives, said it would take "weeks and months of full and proper consideration" before decisions could be made.

Families leaving London's Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre on Wednesday, having had an opportunity to read the report, would largely not be drawn on what legal opportunities remained open to them.

Q: What has this done to Mr Blair's reputation?

If there was any doubt before the inquiry about his legacy as prime minister, the Chilcot Report has cemented it.

The introduction of the minimum wage, the Good Friday Agreement, three consecutive general election wins - all these will largely fade into obscurity. While the words "Suez" and "poll tax" may come to define previous premiers, Mr Blair will be known simply by the mention of "Iraq".

Q: And the Labour Party?

Typically split. The response to the Chilcot Report is almost a microcosm of the party itself. MPs are divided.

Embattled leader Jeremy Corbyn - a staunch anti-war campaigner - again claimed MPs were "misled" over the basis for going to war, despite not mentioning his predecessor by name.

But Mr Corbyn, believed to be on the cusp of facing a leadership challenge, was heckled by his own MPs as he gave his response to the report.

Q: What impact did the invasion have on Iraq?

Dr Lina Khatib, head of the Middle East and North Africa programme at think tank Chatham House, said we are now living with the "global consequences" of war.

She said: "The Islamic State (IS) and the present conflicts in Iraq and Syria are part of the legacy of the invasion of Iraq, and the repercussions are being felt worldwide through IS terrorist attacks and the waves of migrants from Syria and Iraq heading to Europe."

Q: Will the report have an impact on Iraq?

It is unlikely. Just days ago, 175 people were killed in Baghdad as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan came to a bloody conclusion in one of the deadliest series of attacks in the country for years.

Dr Khatib said: "The Chilcot Report points out the mistakes of the past, but in doing so what it says is ultimately not new because Iraq as well as the international community have been living with the impact of those mistakes for 13 years.

"The report recognises that the removal of a dictator or the military eradication of a terrorist group are not enough to steer countries towards a better future. But this has already been demonstrated through Iraq's trajectory since 2003."

Q: What does Iraq need?

Experts say a stabilisation plan is needed, and one that goes beyond technical military assistance and pays serious attention to good governance as well as to the need for a new social contract between Iraqi citizens and the state that fully guarantees their rights.

Press Association

For seven years the nation has awaited the publication of the Chilcot report on Britain’s involvement in the Iraq War. It has now finally seen the light of day, and at 2.6m pages long is one of the largest reports ever published. To help you make sense of it all, and get the latest commentary, we have published a series of articles on the inquiry and the fallout from the UK's intervention in Iraq.

Tony Blair convinced himself Iraq had WMDs – but intelligence 'did not justify' his certainty

How to read the report in full

A timeline of the Iraq War and the disasters that ensued

What happened to the key players in the Iraq War?

Chilcot? Chaff? Dodgy dossier? an Iraq War glossary

Who is Sir John Chilcot, the ex-civil servant leading inquiry into the Iraq war?

The inside story of how Tony Blair led Britain to war in Iraq

Who were the 179 British soldiers who died during the Iraq War?

How many UK soldiers died in Iraq? And at what cost? The war in numbers

The 7 key questions of Chilcot answered

Tony Blair, the Iraq War, and the words of mass destruction that continue to deceive