Alastair Campbell denies Bush changed Blair’s views

Tony Blair did not change his policy on Iraq following a meeting with President Bush in April 2002, his former spokesman Alastair Campbell has said.

Giving evidence to the Iraq inquiry, Mr Campbell said it was wrong to say that Mr Blair signed up to regime change in “a fundamental shift” in policy.

He said Mr Blair made it clear the UK wanted to disarm Iraq through the UN.

During three hours of questioning, he is being asked about his involvement in the build-up to war in March 2003.

He is the most prominent figure to appear before the inquiry, which is looking at UK policy during the run-up to the 2003 war, its handling and aftermath.

Mr Campbell, No 10 director of communications between 1997 and 2003, played a key role in the drawing up of the government’s dossier on Iraq’s alleged weapons of mass destruction.

Inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot said he was seeking answers from Mr Campbell about the “presentation of the case” for military action in Iraq.