Gordon Brown has been confronted on television by the furious mother of a soldier killed in Afghanistan. It happened as the Prime Minister began a 'masochism' strategy of facing hostile voters. Ann Probyn told Mr Brown her son Daniel was killed by a Taliban home made bomb when he was sent out on a night patrol 'with no equipment'. She complained about the failure of the Government to provide British troops with equipment that can detect improvised explosive devices. Mrs Probyn launched the attack on the BBC Politics Show yesterday as Mr Brown faced a panel of disgruntled 'undecided' voters. She reopened the issue of defence spending, which has fast become a political sore for Mr Brown since he told the Chilcot inquiry that he had never turned down a request for more kit for the troops....

“I find it quite unusual for people to criticise me for doing what I consider to be my duty. …This was nothing to do with partisan politics.” - Gordon Brown, who said today that the criticism he received for visiting Afghanistan a day after giving evidence to the Iraq war inquiry was “incredibly unfair”. During his Chilcot inquiry appearance, Brown had mounted a robust defence of his record as chancellor, saying he had never refused a request from the armed forces for equipment or resources.  However, within hours, two former chiefs of the defence staff, Lord Guthrie and his successor Lord Boyce, had challenged that view.  (full story HERE)...

Commenting on Sir John Chilcot’s response to his letter asking for Brown to be recalled to the Iraq Inquiry, Shadow Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox said:“I am pleased that Sir John Chilcot has not ruled out recalling the Prime Minister to the Iraq Inquiry. In line with his Chilcot appearance last week, this week we have repeatedly seen disingenuous Brown dissembling again. “He told David Cameron yesterday that “on defence, the right hon. Gentleman cannot deny the fact that the budget is rising every year in real terms”, and this morning he repeated this claim on BFBS. Yet we now know that this is not true. Gordon Brown has been caught out using fantasy defence figures.“Not only should Gordon Brown return to the Chilcot Inquiry, he must also apologise for misleading Parliament,...

Sometimes Gordon Brown's brass neck literally makes the jaw drop. His latest spat with former soldiers comes smartly on the heals of the prime minister's appearance at the Chilcot Inquiry, during which he claimed that military commanders were always provided with the equipment they requested in Iraq and Afghanistan.The chronology is instructive, and tells us all we need to know about the veracity of Brown's statements. First the prime minister makes his claim. Lord Guthrie and Admiral Lord Boyce accuse Brown of disingenuous answers. At PM's questions Gordon reacts with the equanimity we have come to expect and rants about Tory officers. Soldiers on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq have persistently complained about the inadequacy of their equipment. Should we suppose that they too...

Calling for Gordon Brown to be recalled to clarify his evidence to the Chilcot Inquiry, Shadow Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox said: "Today I have written to Sir John Chilcot to ask that Gordon Brown is recalled to the inquiry to clarify his evidence. There have been so many other witnesses whose evidence directly contradicted his, concluding with Bill Jeffrey today, that there is a clear case for questioning Gordon Brown again.”Here is the text of the letter sent to Sir John: ‘Since Gordon Brown’s session last Friday (5 March 2010) two former Chiefs of the Defence Staff (Admiral Lord Boyce and General Lord Guthrie) and a former Chief of the General Staff ( General Sir Richard Dannatt), all highly respected men of great integrity, have made public statements completely contrary to,...

The latest edition of the Seven Days Show is now online.In the latest episode we discuss the issue of Lord Ashcroft and whether it will be an issue come election time; Brown’s appearance in front of the Chilcot inquiry and why he can be pleased with his performance (though others may not be); Peter Bingle and his comments on the Tory Campaign; the Leaders debates and whether they are a positive thing; and finally MPs and their wives/husbands/partners.To listen to the podcast click HERE, or you can also subscribe to the show in the Tory Radio section in the podcast area of...

Downing Street denies Helmand visit was an attempt to divert focus from prime minister's testimony at the Chilcot inquiryGordon Brown was embroiled in a furious row when former prime minister John Major accused him of using British troops as a "party political prop" on a surprise visit to thank soldiers in Afghanistan. Major condemned Brown's decision and said he had orchestrated a "cynically-timed political stunt".Giving a speech in Ipswich, he drew parallels with Brown's 2007 visit to Iraq, when he was considering calling a snap election. "Once again, the prime minister is using the armed forces as a party political prop," Major said. "Two years ago, he did so on the eve of the election that never was, and is now doing so again on the eve of the election that he cannot...

An amazing coincidence or a cynical ploy? Well, Gordon Brown is in Afghanistan on the day after his Chilcot Inquiry appearance. It's right that political leaders should see for themselves the conditions in which our troops serve, but Brown never does anything without considering the tactical advantages that can be gained politically.It is of course all a bit of a groundhog day. Recall...

STV reports: Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg says that the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq War has provided enough information to suggest that the war was illegal. Speaking on Radio Tay on Friday morning at the same time Prime Minister Gordon Brown was facing questions at the inquiry in London, he said: “I’m not a lawyer, but my view is that now there is sufficient evidence to sustain the claim that this was illegal.” “A Dutch inquiry into the Iraq war came to the conclusion that it was indeed illegal, and flew in the face of international law… “It is not a court of law, the Chilcot Inquiry, it was explicitly set up not to determine whether it was illegal or not so that is going to have to happen elsewhere by the lawyers, by the court, but my view is...

The first is at Freemania: The really important thing about Iraq: us Today Gordon Brown gives evidence to the Chilcot inquiry. This weekend, amid violent attacks on polling stations, Iraq holds an election. I wonder which will get the most coverage? The rest of the world exists primarily as a mirror for us. The second is at Skuds’ place: A week is a long time...

Prime minister tells Chilcot inquiry of frustration with US over issues of postwar planningGordon Brown today defended the invasion of Iraq but said he regretted he had not been able to persuade the US to take postwar planning "seriously enough" to ensure a "just peace".The prime minister revealed his frustration with US politicians in the build-up to the war when he told the Chilcot inquiry about his involvement in planning, discussions and decision-making while serving as chancellor.In the first hour of his evidence, Brown said the US-led invasion was the "right decision made for the right reasons".Saddam Hussein was a "serial violator" of UN resolutions and a clear message had to be sent to "rogue states" that international law could not be flouted, he said.He told the inquiry he...

Today Gordon Brown gives evidence to the Chilcot inquiry. This weekend, amid violent attacks on polling stations, Iraq holds an election. I wonder which will get the most coverage?The rest of the world exists primarily as a mirror for...

Lord Ashcroft is accused today of "systematic tax avoidance" of VAT on huge polls he commissioned for the Conservatives. Investigations editor David Leigh says it raises fresh questions about what the Tory leadership knew, and when.It has emerged that David Cameron knew for a month that Ashcroft wasn't paying tax on his UK earnings. Whitehall correspondent Polly Curtis looks at what the Electoral Commission says about the Tories' co-operation with its investigation into Ashcroft's company's donations to the party.Julian Glover looks ahead to Gordon Brown's appearance today before the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war. There has been a surge in the proliferation of rightwing extremist "patriot" militias in the US, according to new research. Chris McGreal reports from Washington.And an aide...

Parents of dead soldiers allege then chancellor kept Snatch Land Rovers in service to save cashThe families of British soldiers have demanded that Gordon Brown should be questioned at the Iraq inquiry tomorrow about why British troops were killed in vehicles that continued to be used despite concerns over their safety.Brown appears before the Chilcot inquiry with the panel under pressure to question him about whether he failed to provide enough money for British forces in Iraq while he was chancellor.Last night it emerged that some families who lost loved ones in Iraq wanted Brown questioned specifically over why the Snatch Land Rover continued to be used, claiming it was clear it provided inadequate protection against bombs.The Times reported a letter to Chilcot from a lawyer acting for...

Back in September Guido asked: When was the last time you saw Tony Blair in the UK? Billionaires yachts in the med, sure, US TV chat shows, sure. Six figure speaking engagements in the Far East, of course. “Peacemaking” in the Middle East, allegedly. Is he seen in the UK? No, not much. Guido’s theory is that he is keeping under the 90 day residency limit for non-domiciles for tax purposes. Didn’t Cherie mention that the kids all have Irish passports? Well not much has changed, apart from his appearance at the Chilcot Inquiry when was the last time anyone saw Blair in London? Seems like a fair question today....

Dear David Cameron, There is no doubt in my mind that you will be watching the polls over the next few days with even more interest than usual.  Your spring conference in Brighton, which was considerably smaller than the main party conference in October, attracted some reasonably positive coverage but yet again your hand is being forced because the spotlight is on you so intensely at the moment.  However, when the spotlight has fallen on Gordon Brown recently, any bad publicity has just bounced off him.  Will his appearance at the Chilcot Inquiry later this week buck this trend, I wonder? Over the weekend, you outlined six key election campaigning areas: dealing with the deficit, boosting enterprise, shoring up families, backing the NHS, raising standards in schools and cleaning up...

No. 10 deny PM ‘hit’ Iraq. Allegations Gordon Brown pulled the country from its chair and ’shoved’ it are ‘lies’ said a spokesman. Largely trampled beneath the deeply unedifying flurry of handbags that we must now call Bullygate was the announcement that the Prime Minister is to give evidence to the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq War on March 5. However, lost in the distant mists of time B.B. (Before Bullygate), was Gordon Brown’s launch of a pre-emptive strike on the Inquiry. On February 19, 2010 at approximately 15:27 GMT explosions were heard in the Chilcot Inquiry. Special operations commandos from Number 10’s News Management Division, infiltrated throughout Westminster, called in the early air strike. Getting his retailiation in first,...

If you had been reading my blog early on Friday morning, you'd have read this news about Gordon Brown appearing before the Chilcot Inquiry.Three days later, the BBC managed to catch up...And a few hours later, Sky got around to it too...Iain Dale's Diary: It's because of the unique way I'm funded. By...

I have learned that Gordon Brown will appear before the Chilcot Inquiry on either Thursday 4th or Friday 5th March.You heard it here first.This effectively means that a March election is ruled out because it would have had to be called before that date.Rumours that Piers Morgan has joined the Chilcot Panel, are, I understand, wide of the mark....

Prince Charles is to rescue Tony Blair’s smile from extinction, it was announced today. The smile, a common sight in Britain for more than a decade from 1996, has since been largely absent from everyday life.Smile fanciers hope to catch a glimpse of it earlier this year at the Chilcot inquiry, but their hopes were dashed – and insiders believe that the smile may be decaying inside a shoebox somewhere just outside of Maidstone. The Prince’s estate released a statement yesterday on the worth of the smile, calling it a ‘spectacular reminder of a bygone age of ambition and achievement, the like of which we can only hope that the country sees...

By combining my story with the recent evidence from the Chilcot Inquiry, people may fully appreciate what an unprincipled and internationally violent Government we have. Once we understand that, we can look to mend it....

By our correspondent Frank BluntConservative leader David Cameron has laid the blame for the parliamentary expenses scandal squarely with Gordon Brown. “It is a measure of Labour’s Debt Crisis that even I could be bamboozled into claiming a load of money for the mortgage on my second home. Or possibly my third. Whatever.“And the fact that I kept claiming for this even after I had started demanding the system be reformed just shows how badly Labour’s Age of Irresponsibility has broken our society.”Meanwhile, Cabinet papers leaked to the Chilcot Inquiry revealed that Brown himself may have been involved in planting the unruly wisteria that so expensively besmirched Cameron’s beautiful home. Cameron said that there would be “no limit to the amount I would claim on expenses to...

Alastair has long revelled in his macho hard-man Malcolm Tucker image for years.  He has gone through four Iraq inquiries and he gave no ground at the latest Chilcot Inquiry.  He has dealt with the “beyond doubt” question many times.  Why did Marr’s mild interrogation unsettle him?  Was it a cynical, calculated act or is Al cracking up again? Bad Al is said to have groomed Gordon Brown for his Piers Morgan interview, where he too tears up and gets emotional, are they going for the sympathy vote?  Three months before the election he is blubbing for the cameras, having always claimed he was a private man and criticised Cameron (and by implication Blair) for the touchy-feely.  Are they trying to fake up an EQ for Gordon? Guido is on Nicky Campbell’s breakfast...

[This is the heading over a letter from Dr Jim Swire in today's edition of The Herald. It reads as follows:]The Chilcot Inquiry has examined the role of the Blair government’s Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, allegedly converted to believing the Iraq war to be legal following “consultations in the USA”.Should not the Lockerbie inquiry, when we get it, examine why the government of the day chose to ignore the words of its Lord Chief Justice, and appointed Allen Feraday to supply the forensic input to the Lockerbie trial?Mr Feraday was criticised by the Lord Chief Justice in the case of R v Berry (1991). He declared that the nature of his evidence was dogmatic in the extreme and that he should not be allowed to present himself as an expert in this field. Also, the Home Office has...

What with all the Chilcotery of late, it occurs to me that I've been linking to a lot of stuff, by way of criticizing it, that I wouldn't have sent to my Gran - or indeed to anybody - as a way of improving their day. But the conventions of blogging being what they are, I have, willy-nilly, been sending readers of normblog in this direction, day after day. To make amends, I draw your attention here to items of another sort. > Hopi Sen on the Iraq inquiry: 'Where the terrible suffering of others did not provoke us to act - there we should find our secret shame.' > Danny Finkelstein on Churchill, Blair and 'what would have happened if we had not acted'. > Ann Clwyd at the Chilcot inquiry, somewhat less reported than, say, Clare Short: 'I felt myself there was no other option.' > Simon...

All we can learn is that Tony Blair's ability to believe what he wants to is utterly unquench­ableThe Chilcot inquiry can't change the past. No inquiry can. But let's imagine so for a moment. Let's imagine that a couple of years after the invasion of Iraq, when the folly of the Anglo-American military action had become all too plain, long after Dr David Kelly had died so shamefully, the electorate had been given a chance to make their views on Tony Blair's leadership heard, in a general election. Except there is no need to imagine that. It happened.So something else has to be imagined instead. Let's imagine that a man called Reg Keys stood against Blair, in his own constituency of Sedgefield, during the 2005 general election. Let's imagine that this man had lost a son, Lance Corporal Tom...

The remarkable attack today by Clare Short on Blair and Brown over Iraq at the Chilcot Inquiry may have the power to produce headlines but it doesn't throw much light on her own role. She spoke with an incredible degree of bitterness and a considerable amount of hindsight. Her claim that the Cabinet was misled by legal officers claiming the war was legal is all very well but there were...

Armed forces head Jock Stirrup tells Chilcot inquiry that military planners did not have enough time to prepareDefence chiefs warned ministers of a ­"serious risk" the military would not have all the equipment it needed to invade Iraq because of delays imposed by the Blair government, the head of the armed forces told the Chilcot inquiry today .Pressure on the defence budget was so great that a year after the invasion, the chiefs threatened to resign unless the Treasury, under Gordon Brown, relented on plans for cuts in military expenditure, the inquiry was told.Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup said top military planners "simply didn't have enough time, as it turned out, to do ­everything we needed to do before the operation started".He told the Iraq inquiry: "We made it absolutely...

There is a fine piece of analysis published at Chris Dillow’s blog on the nature of honesty and the individual in politics. Dillow takes the protestors at the  Chilcot Inquiry on Friday to task. He argues the chants of Bliar show public expectations of honesty in politicians are unrealistic. I’d agree with him. Political life sometimes demands equivocations, evasions and obfuscation to allow behind the scenes negotation to take place. This was certainly true of the attempts to manifacture a consensus for a second UN resolution before invading Iraq. In this behaviour, Blair was no different than any other politician faced with a dilemma. But, as Dillow notes, most truly meaningful criticism of what Blair’s government about Iraq related to allegations that the war was a bad...

The latest edition of the Seven Days Show is now online.In this week's podcast we look at the recession and whether it really is over, Blair’s appearance in front of the Chilcot inquiry; a hung Parliament and whether Cameron really would hold two election this year if he failed to secure a majority at the first opportunity; Labour and targeted spending and finally THAT Tweetminster report.To listen to the podcast click HERE, or you can also subscribe to the show in the Tory Radio section in the podcast area of...