Chilcot report: What next now the Iraq Inquiry has been published?

A woman wearing a t-shirt in tribute to Senior Aircraftsman Christopher Dunsmore, who died in Iraq, carries the Iraq Inquiry Report. Credit: PA

Sir John Chilcot yesterday published his devastating verdict on the Iraq War and the actions of ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Live updates: Fallout from Chilcot

But what now for the grieving families of British soldiers and the former prime minister?

We look at the key issues.

  • How was the report received?

Sir John Chilcot delivers the findings of the report. Credit: PA

Tony Blair accepted responsibility for mistakes made and said he was "more sorry that you will ever know".

But he told ITV News that he would make the same decision again.

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

Current Prime Minister David Cameron, who voted for war in 2003 said lessons need to be learned.

Families of British soldiers who died and anti-war campaigners reacted positively to the report.

The mother of a 23-year-old soldier killed in Iraq said she had expected the report to be "a whitewash but I actually cried".

  • Will Tony Blair be tried for war crimes?

Protesters hold a banner in London ahead of the report's publication. Credit: PA

Organisations such as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and the Stop the War Coalition have long campaigned for the former prime minister to be tried for war crimes, describing him as a "murderer".

The Iraq Inquiry did not confirm or deny the legality of military action, leaving the issue open.

However, Sir John found the circumstances in which the government formed a legal basis for was were "far from satisfactory".

At present there is no police involvement, but this does not mean that the families cannot seek private prosecutions against Mr Blair.

  • Is it likely that private prosecutions will go ahead?

Rose Gentle (left) and Sarah O'Connor and others who lost family members in the Iraq War. Credit: PA

Lawyers for the families of service personnel killed in the war have said that it is too early to tell and that they require time to go through the report in detail.

Matthew Jury, the lawyers for some of the families said it would take "weeks and months of full and proper consideration" before decisions could be made.

Following the report's publication the families would largely not be drawn on what legal opportunities remained open to them.

  • What has the report done to Tony Blair's reputation?

Tony Blair speaks after the report's publication. Credit: PA

Blair's reputation and legacy is now in tatters.

Any positives from Blair's premiership - the introduction of the minimum wage, the Good Friday Agreement, and three consecutive general election wins - will be overshadowed by the Iraq War.

If he was not already, Blair will now become synonymous with the word "Iraq".

  • How has the Labour Party reacted?

Jeremy Corbyn speaks in the House of Commons following the report's publication. Credit: PA

Labour MPs are unsurprisingly divided in their response to the Chilcot report.

Jeremy Corbyn - a staunch anti-war protester, who campaigned against the Iraq War - claimed MPs were "misled" over the basis for going to war, despite not mentioning Tony Blair by name.

However, as Mr Corbyn gave his response in the House of Commons he was heckled by his own MPs.

  • Where does Iraq go from here?

A grieving woman reacts after the latest atrocity in Baghdad. Credit: Reuters

The Chilcot report is unlikely to have any impact on the troubled country.

The country is wracked by sectarian violence, instability, and intermittent electricity and water supplies.

Just days ago 250 people were killed in Baghdad in a suicide car bombing.

Speaking to ITV News a Baghdad resident told how they did not "feel safe."

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.

Experts say a stabilisation process is necessary, one that goes beyond technical military assistance and focuses on good governance and the rights of the Iraqi people.