The hearing of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair by the Iraq inquiry commission has started today. The session is expected to last all day. Mr Blair was in full support of the US president George Bush when he invaded Iraq in March 2003. His support evoked harsh criticism from a large part of the British public.

Mr Blair recently managed to spark fresh indignation when he said that he would have supported the invasion even if he had known that Iraq was not in possession of mass weapons of destruction.

Public interest in Blair's hearing is so great that a lottery had to be held to allocate places in the public gallery. Visitors include surviving relatives of British soldiers killed in action. Protesters keen to vent their anger at Tony Blair have been gathering outside all day.

Photo: Tony Blair (Flickr/world economic forum)