23/02/2010

Brown Iraq Inquiry Date Set

The Prime Minister will give evidence to the Iraq Inquiry next Friday, it has been confirmed.

Gordon Brown's appearance on 5 March will be followed by International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband will face questions from the panel chaired by Sir John Chilcot on 8 March.

Mr Brown has previously stated any decision he made in the run up to the 2003 invasion was "thought-through and justified".

He is likely to be quizzed on claims by former senior Defence civil servant Sir Kevin Tebbit that the then chancellor "guillotined" military spending six months after the invasion.

Panel chair Sir John had previously said the Prime Minister would not be called before the inquiry until after the General Election - expected to take place in May.

He later reneged on this, following pressure from Opposition politicians who said the public should be fully aware of Mr Brown's role in the Iraq war before going to the polls.

Mr Brown has insisted he has "nothing to hide".

"I also want my opportunity to explain what I tried to do," he said in an interview with Tribune magazine last week.

The PM said he had "no regrets" over the removal of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

(PR/GK)

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