Blair forced on to defensive over Iraq

Tony Blair was forced on to the defensive over Iraq yesterday as he angrily refused to apologise for the war and appealed to his critics to stop questioning his integrity.

Labour's plan to ensure the final full week of the election campaign be dominated by the economy and education was scuppered when the Prime Minister faced tough questions over the fresh doubts about the legality of the conflict.

"I know there's a disagreement over Iraq. That disagreement we will never resolve, but I also know it's right to look to the future now," he told a press conference.
"Let's stop having this argument about whether it's my character or my integrity that's at issue here and understand the decision had to be taken."

As the Tories and Liberal Democrats put the issue of trust in Mr Blair at the centre of the campaign, he accused them of raising the Iraq issue "because they have got nothing serious to say about the issues facing our country for the future."

Mr Blair said of his decision to go to war: "I can't say I am sorry about it. I am not sorry about it. I think I did the right thing."

He dodged questions about the revelation at the weekend that the Attorney General initially had doubts on six fronts about whether military action was legal.

Asked why Lord Goldsmith appeared to have changed his mind on that, Blair said: "It's not a question of changing his mind. The legal advice of the Attorney General was very clear...The Attorney General came to Cabinet. He was there. We had a discussion at Cabinet about it."

Insisting that there was no "conspiracy" or "plot", he said: "There was a judgment -- a judgment that might be right, it might be wrong, but I had to take it. I believe I made the right judgment. I believe the country is better with Saddam in prison and not in power."

He reiterated the point he made in an interview with The Independent last week that he was not looking for an endorsement of his Iraq policy at the election.

"Iraq has happened. We should look to the future. This election campaign is not just about Iraq. It's about the economy, the NHS, schools and law and order."

Mr Blair said: "I don't regret the decision I took. People have to make their own minds up about it."

Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, was also on the back foot over Iraq. He was involved in some furious exchanges with John Humphrys, presenter of BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

When Mr Humprhys accused him of putting up "smokescreens" to avoid answering questions about Lord Goldsmith's advice, the Foreign Secretary snapped back: "I have dealt with this. Keep your hair on."

Mr Straw added: "The Attorney General came to his view. He offered the view. It was unequivocal. The Prime Minister was right."

When the Foreign Secretary tried to refer back to UN Security Council resolution 1441, which gave Saddam Hussein a final opportunity to disarm, Mr Humphrys cut him off, saying: "No, that isn't the issue."

He added: "You have made that point many, many, many times on this programme and I am trying to move this forward because if we endlessly go back to 1441 we will never move it forward and I suspect that's the reason why you are not addressing it."

Michael Howard, the Tory leader, said Mr Blair had "not told the truth" about Iraq. He said: "I think it was possible to go to war but to tell the truth, and Mr Blair did not tell the truth. And I also think it was extremely foolish to go to war without a plan."

Last night Mr Howard said he thought the Iraq war was "probably" legal. But he told the Boulton Factor on Sky TV he would have done it differently.

"If I had had the Attorney General's opinion I would have taken it in full to the Cabinet. I would have had a full Cabinet discussion on it," he said.

The Tory leader added: "There is nothing more serious than taking our country to war," he said.

"And if you are going to do that most serious thing as Prime Minister the one thing above all you have to be is straight with the British people."

He said there was "a question of character and trust" over Mr Blair's use of the intelligence on Iraqi weapons.

"Mr Blair's character is an issue in this election. There is a real question about whether the British people can trust him as well," he said.

Six reasons the war could be illegal

British Attorney-General Lord Goldsmith's advice on March 7, 2003. He:

* said in law it was for the United Nations to decide whether Iraq was in breach of UN resolutions, not Prime Minister Tony Blair;

* had doubts that war could be supported under the terms of resolution 1441;

* cautioned that a second resolution might be needed;

* warned that they could not rely on the earlier UN resolution 678 passed to eject Saddam Hussein from Kuwait;

* pointed out that Hans Blix, the UN weapons inspector, was still searching for weapons of mass destruction;

* said the United States might be satisfied it was legal, but that did not apply to the United Kingdom.

- INDEPENDENT