BEREAVED families threatened John Chilcot with legal action yesterday after he once again defied calls to set a publication date for his report into the Iraq war.

Mr Chilcot, who is heading the Iraq war inquiry, said he understood the “anguish” of those who lost loved ones in the conflict, but argued that the probe was “unprecedented” in its scope.

He also defended the controversial Maxwellisation process, whereby those facing criticism in the report are invited to respond prior to its conclusions being published.