Lib Dems snub WMD inquiry

The Government today announced full details of its inquiry into intelligence on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq - and hit a new political storm as the Liberal Democrats refused to take part.

Senior Tory and Labour MPs, as well as Lib-Dems, complained the probe was too narrow and would yet again let Tony Blair off the hook. A five-strong crossparty committee, chaired by former Cabinet Secretary Lord Butler, will report before the summer recess.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told MPs its task would be "to investigate the accuracy of intelligence on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction and to examine any discrepancies between the intelligence gathered, evaluated and used by the Government before the conflict."