Brown refuses giving testimony on Iraq war

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is resisting calls to give evidence at a public inquiry into the Iraq war ahead of the general elections.

On Wednesday, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg called on Brown to give his evidence before people decide how to vote on his record in government.

The move suggests the Liberal Democrats hope to benefit in the election contest from the unpopularity of the Iraq war, which they opposed.

This is while the inquiry committee said Brown won’t be called until after the vote. Brown claims he has nothing to hide over the 2003 Iraq war.

The prime minister also says he stands by decisions taken by the British government in the run-up to the conflict.

On Tuesday, a top aide to former British prime minister, Tony Blair, told the inquiry that Brown was part of the inner circle whom Blair consulted on the Iraq war.

Britain sent 45,000 troops to support the 2003 US.-led invasion despite widespread doubts about its legality and mass protests against it on the streets of London.