Interview

A UK government advisor who's changed his mind about the Iraq War

Ed Owen, an advisor to the foreign secretary at the time of the Iraq invasion, on why he now feels differently about the decision to go to war

By The Depolarization Project

A UK government advisor who's changed his mind about the Iraq War — British soldiers in Iraq, 2003 | Trinity Mirror/Mirrorpix/Alamy Stock Photo

Published: September 08, 2021, 1:45 pm

Ed Owen worked at the heart of the British government when it decided to go to war in Iraq in 2003. In this episode of 'Changed My Mind', he explains why he now thinks he should not have supported the decision to go to war, how his views on proportional representation have changed and what he thinks are the criteria for an effective minister.

Changed My Mind is a podcast from The Depolarization Project. Each week, we talk to someone who has undergone a serious shift of opinion about something that matters deeply to them. It's hosted by chief executive Ali Goldsworthy together with behavioural insight expert Alex Chesterfield and corporate affairs director at London First, Laura Osborne.