Declassified documents show PM was told invasion would be illegal on eve of Bush talks
Lord Goldsmith. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images
Tony Blair was warned by his government’s chief law officer that an invasion of Iraq would be illegal the day before he privately assured President George Bush he would support US-led military action, documents released today by the Chilcot inquiry reveal.
They provide an unprecedented insight into how Lord Goldsmith, then the attorney general, repeatedly warned the prime minister of the potential consequences of invading Iraq without fresh UN authority – much to Blair’s irritation.
Goldsmith changed his view shortly before the invasion on 20 March 2003.
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