Blair faces MPs over WMDs

The Prime Minister today resisted demands for an independent inquiry into security assessments made in the run up to war with Iraq but promised full cooperation with an intelligence and security committee investigation.

At Commons question time Mr Blair came under strong pressure from Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith to mount an independent judicial inquiry to clear up allegations that the intelligence case had been 'beefed up' to back the Government's case for war.

Seizing on this, and claims by Commons Leader John Reid that "rogue elements" in the security services were behind the allegations, Mr Duncan Smith said: "The whole credibility of the Government rests on clearing up these charges."

Mr Blair promised to produce all the necessary evidence to the intelligence and security committee, so it could come to a "considered judgment," and announced the committee's report would be published.

The row over the alleged misuse of intelligence on Iraq's holdings of weapons of mass destruction dominated the 30-minute session and led to stormy exchanges as Mr Blair faced questions for the first time since the recess.

At one point, Labour backbencher Oona King Bethnal Green and Bow) bluntly asked where were the weapons of mass destruction that the allies claimed Saddam Hussein had in his possession and was ready to use.

Mr Blair repeatedly insisted that the allegations being made against the Government were "completely and totally untrue", adding that Iraq was free and "we should be proud of that".