21 Jan 2011

Blair to be questioned again by Iraq inquiry

9:12 pm on 21 January 2011

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is to be questioned for a second time by the Iraq inquiry about his role in the lead-up to the 2003 war.

When he first appeared before the panel in January 2010, Mr Blair said he had "no regrets" about having taken Britain to war and believed the world was a safer place after Saddam Hussein had been overthrown, the BBC reports.

Mr Blair made a robust defence of his decision to join the United States-led invasion.

Since then, the inquiry has been looking at more government documents and has re-interviewed some other key witnesses in private.

The inquiry team wants to ask Mr Blair about promises he made to the former American president George W Bush and his attitude to the advice he received about the legality of the war.

Mr Blair is expected to be asked about apparent discrepancies between his previous evidence and comments by former Attorney General Lord Goldsmith.

Lord Goldsmith told the inquiry he was "uncomfortable" about statements made by the then Prime Minister before the conflict.

Anti-war demonstrators are expected to protest outside the London inquiry.