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PM to face Iraq inquiry next week PM to face Iraq inquiry next week
(20 minutes later)
Prime Minister Gordon Brown will appear before the Iraq war inquiry on Friday 5 March, it has been announced.Prime Minister Gordon Brown will appear before the Iraq war inquiry on Friday 5 March, it has been announced.
International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander will also give evidence on the same day. Tickets for the central London hearing will by allocated by public ballot.
Foreign Secretary David Miliband will face the inquiry, taking place in central London, on Monday 8 March. International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander will give evidence on the same day, with Foreign Secretary David Miliband appearing on 8 March.
In an interview last week, the prime minister said his appearance would be a chance to show "everything I did was both thought-through and justified".In an interview last week, the prime minister said his appearance would be a chance to show "everything I did was both thought-through and justified".
The BBC News Channel's chief political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said the PM's evidence would draw considerable interest, not least because of claims by former defence secretary Geoff Hoon that Mr Brown - chancellor at the time - had been a key figure in the decisions that led to the 2003 Iraq invasion. The BBC News Channel's chief political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said the PM's evidence would draw considerable interest, not least because of claims by former defence secretary Geoff Hoon that Mr Brown - chancellor at the time - had been a key figure in the decisions that led to the 2003 Iraq war.
Mr Brown is also likely to be asked about claims made to the inquiry by Sir Kevin Tebbit, former top civil servant at the Ministry of Defence, that as chancellor, he "guillotined" military spending six months after the invasion.
'Unanswered questions'
Inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot originally said the prime minister would not give evidence until after the general election - expected in May.Inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot originally said the prime minister would not give evidence until after the general election - expected in May.
However, following pressure from opposition parties, Mr Brown agreed to appear earlier, with Downing Street insisting he had "nothing to hide". However, following pressure from opposition parties, Mr Brown agreed to appear earlier, with Downing Street saying he had "nothing to hide".
In an interview with Tribune magazine last week, he said he did not want the public to think there were "unanswered questions" ahead of an election. In an interview with the left-leaning Tribune magazine last week, he said he did not want the public to think there were "unanswered questions" ahead of an election.
"I also want my opportunity to explain what I tried to do and how I managed the things I managed to do." "I also want my opportunity to explain what I tried to do."
Former prime minister Tony Blair gave evidence to the inquiry in January.
He said he had "no regrets" about removing Saddam Hussein from power and insisted the Iraq war had made the world a safer place.