A sorry affair

Another day, another apology of sorts - but still Blair fails to answer critics over the war and the misuse of false intelligence

Another day, another apology of sorts - but still Blair fails to answer critics over the war and the misuse of false intelligence

14 July

"I have to accept, as the months have passed, it seems increasingly clear that at the time of invasion, Saddam did not have stockpiles of chemical or biological weapons ready to deploy ... I accept full personal responsibility for the way in which the issue was presented."

Tony Blair, House of Commons statement on the Butler report

26 September

"I have been very happy to take full responsibility for information that turned out to be wrong ... It's absolutely right that we've apologised to people for the information that was given being wrong."

Tony Blair, interview in "The Observer"

28 September

"The evidence about Saddam having actual biological and chemical weapons, as opposed to the capability to develop them, has turned out to be wrong. I acknowledge that and accept it. I can apologise for the information that turned out to be wrong, but I can't, sincerely at least, apologise for removing Saddam."

Tony Blair, Labour Party conference

7 October

"All of us, from the Prime Minister down, who were involved in making an incredibly difficult decision, are very sorry and do apologise for the fact that that information was wrong, but I don't think we were wrong to go in."

Patricia Hewitt, Trade and Industry Secretary, BBC1's "Question Time"

12 October

"As the Prime Minister did in his speech at our party conference, of course I do accept that some of the information on which we based our judgement was wrong."

Jack Straw, Foreign Secretary, House of Commons

12 October

"People have respect for someone who stands up in the Commons and takes responsibility for his mistakes. He is clear about what he is expressing regret for; the Prime Minister regrets mistakes in intelligence, but that doesn't undermine the key point about the reason for going to war."

Prime Minister's official spokesman

Yesterday, 13th October

"He [Mr Blair] has made it absolutely clear that he is sorry about the sorts of issue - the information issue, the 45-minute issue - he is very sorry about that. That's absolutely clear, that is what the position is. We know the intelligence on which it was based is flawed and we are sorry about that."

Lord Falconer, Lord Chancellor, BBC Radio 4's "Today" programme

Yesterday, 13th October

"I take full responsibility, and indeed apologise, for any information given in good faith that has subsequently turned out to be wrong."

Tony Blair, Prime Minister's Questions,

House of Commons