Alastair Campbell, aide to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, appearing before the Chilcott Committee investigating Britain's decision to join the 2003 US-led invasion of Iran, has fiercely denied "beefing up" the 2002 Iraq dossier. However, during the four-hour hearing, Mr Campbell admitted that the document could have been clearer.

The 2002 Iraq dossier was written by Sir John Scarlett, the then chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, advisers to the Blair government. The first draft of the forward to the report was written by Mr Campbell and later revised by the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair. Last month, Sir John told the enquiry that the Mr Blair's forward was "overtly political" and "quite separate" from the rest of the dossier.
 

The report claimed that Iraq could launch chemical or biological weapons within 45 minutes, a claim that was later proven to be false and retracted after the war. Mr Campbell, who was one of Mr Blair's closest advisers, claimed the dossier did not misrepresent the threat from Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's weapons.

Mr Campbell said there had never been a "precipitate rush to war" despite close ties between London and Washington. He told the enquiry "I think the prime minister was all the way through trying to get it resolved without a single shot being fired". He also said that current Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who was then finance minister, was one of Mr Blair's key advisers.

Tony Blair will appear before the Chilcott Committee in January or February but Prime Minister Brown will not appear until after the general election, expected to be held in May or June.

Photograph: Alastair Campbell; campbellclaret/Flickr