Blair Hauled Back By Chilcott

The solicitor Phil Shiner, an expert on the war's legality, who has represented a number of its victims, said: "Lawyers don't produce 13 pages of carefully argued opinion stating that a second resolution is needed, and then issue a brief statement only days later saying the opposite."
Sources say Blair's previous testimony appears to differ from some given in private by government lawyer Lord Goldsmith and other witnesses, thought to include the former chairman of the joint intelligence committee, Sir John Scarlett.

Evidence previously offered in camera will now be made public and it is believed that conflicting claims made by Scarlett and Blair will be central to the latter's public grilling this week.

Scarlett oversaw the infamous "dodgy dossier" of 2002 which included the now discredited claim that Iraq could deploy weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes.

It is also thought that Blair will face new queries over claims he put pressure on former attorney general Lord Goldsmith to declare the war legal.

Blair will face protests from anti-war campaigners and bereaved relatives of soldiers killed in a mendacious and pernicious campaign. Good luck to the protesters. Watch out for the Met thugs.