Straw At Inquiry For Second Time

Justice Secretary Jack Straw appeared at the Iraq Inquiry for a second time today, telling the panel he did not ignore legal advise on the 2003 invasion.

Mr Straw, who was Foreign Secretary at the time, said he did not disregard claims a war without a second UN resolution would be illegal.

Ex-Foreign Office lawyer Sir Michael Wood earlier told the inquiry Mr Straw was warned an invasion could amount to a "crime of aggression".

Mr Straw said he gave the advise "the serious attention it deserved".

However, he said it would be "fundamentally flawed" if minister acted on all legal advise given.

Mr Straw told the inquiry he gave Sir Michael's claims serious consideration.

"So much so that I thought I owed him a formal and personal written response rather than simply having a conversation with him," he said.

Mr Straw later rejected the advise.

The Justice Secretary suggested backing the war represented the "most difficult decision" of his life.

He had earlier told the panel a report from former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix "made an indelible impression" on him.

"[The report] convinced me that Iraq's non-compliance with Security Council requirements going back to 1991 was profound."

But Mr Blix told the BBC he found such a reaction "amazing" as "there was nothing sensationally new in that document".

Attorney General Lord Goldsmith has denied changing his stance on the legality of war due to political pressure.

He backed the invasion a mere month before troops were deployed to Iraq. Lord Goldsmith also said he was confident the 1991 resolutions would provide a legal safeguard.

The inquiry continues.

(PR/BMcc)