Blair faces more questioning on legality of Iraq war

London, Jan 18, IRNA – Former prime minister Tony Blair is to be further challenged about the legality of the Iraq invasion when he is recalled to give evidence for a second time at the inquiry into 2003 war on Friday.

New documents released by the inquiry show that the then Attorney General Lord Goldsmith was kept out of the loop by some of Blair's closest advisers and by former foreign secretary Jack Straw, who is also due to face more questioning.

Goldsmith said he was 'uncomfortable' about statements made by the former prime minister before the 2003 war and that Blair’s suggestions that Britain could attack Iraq without further UN backing was not compatible with his legal advice.

'I was not being sufficiently involved in the meetings and discussions about the [UN] resolution and the policy behind it that were taking place at ministerial level,' he said in a statement to the inquiry as it reopens a third round of oral evidence.

The attorney general, who was also a member of government, makes clear that Blair was wrong when he told parliament on January 15, 2003, that a fresh UN resolution was not needed if a country imposed an 'unreasonable veto'.

In his evidence given to the inquiry last year, he acknowledged he later changed his mind on whether a second UN resolution was needed ahead of military action in March 2003.

Stop the War Coalition (STWC) is again organising protests, street theatre and media briefings along with Rose Gentle and others who lost family members when Blair reappears at the inquiry.

Hundreds of protesters assembled outside Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in central London calling for the former premier to be out on trial for war crimes when he first gave evidence to the inquiry in January last year.

Blair was also hounded at the launch of his memoirs in September, when he was forced to cancel his only book signing event in central London as well as a party celebration due to planned protests./end