Global Policy Forum

By Matthew Tempest

Tony Blair today rejected at least four calls - from the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and his own backbenches - for an independent judicial inquiry into the case for the Iraq war. During a stormy session of prime minister's questions, the prime minister instead promised to produce all the necessary evidence to the intelligence and security committee, so it could come to a "considered judgment", and announced that the committee's report would be published.

But he was also forced to reject a highly specific request from his former cabinet colleague, Robin Cook, that the government now apologise for an allegedly fake accusation that there was a link between Iraq and uranium purchases from Africa.

Mr Blair said the joint intelligence committee (JIC) had judged the Africa claim to be correct, though at this point it was not possible to say whether that was the case or not. On the "45 minutes" claim, Mr Blair said that the JIC's judgment was that it was right. Failed Tory leadership candidate Kenneth Clarke also threw back in the prime minister's face his claim that the reason for going to war without a second resolution was that the threat was so immediate it could not wait.

The prime minister faced repeated calls from all sides to allow an independent judicial investigation into the government's use of intelligence material - even spilling over into questions on his statement on the G8 summit in Evian. Seizing on claims by the Commons leader, John Reid, that "rogue elements" in the security services were behind the allegations, Mr Duncan Smith said: "The whole credibility of the government rests on clearing up these charges."

The Liberal Democrat leader, Charles Kennedy, said there was widespread scepticism over WMD, adding: "Who are the public to trust if the government are letting it be known that they can't wholeheartedly trust their own intelligence services?"

Mr Blair responded that: "The truth is some people resent the fact it was right to go to conflict and we won the conflict ... Iraq is now free and we should be proud of that." The prime minister told the Commons that the parliamentary intelligence and security committee contacted the government in early May with reference to conducting an inquiry into the role of intelligence in Iraq.

He also, during questioning on the G8 summit, stated that comments from Donald Rumsfeld or Paul Wolfowitz, that there were no WMD in Iraq, or that this reason for war had been given for "bureaucratic reasons" were taken "out of context". Mr Duncan Smith said he believed the weapons were there and would be found and that Britain was "absolutely right" to take part in the liberation of Iraq, but he called on Mr Blair to grant an independent judicial inquiry to restore public trust.

The prime minister described as "completely and totally untrue" allegations that the claim about Saddam being able to deploy his weapons in 45 minutes were inserted into the dossier at Downing Street's request. Another former cabinet colleague, Clare Short, demanded point blank that Mr Blair "apologise to President Chirac for misleading all of us on the position of France on a second resolution".

Ms Short, formerly the international development secretary who resigned over what she claimed were broken promises on UN involvement in the aftermath of the war, said Mr Chirac had not ruled out a second resolution, but called for more time.

Mr Blair merely rebutted that the president's remarks "were dead, or on the record". The government now faces a long afternoon of angry scrutiny, with Mr Blair answering further questions on the Evian summit, followed by a Lib Dem debate on the Iraq war.

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