UPDATE: Blair says he regrets loss of life in Iraq

BBC reported Tony Blair has said he "regrets deeply and profoundly the loss of life" during and after the 2003 Iraq war.  He said this at the end of a four hour grilling session.

The former Labour PM said his refusal to express regret for the decisions that led to war at his first appearance before the committee had been misinterpreted.

But Blair's words were met with cries of "too late" from the public gallery.

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Former Prime Minister Tony Blair is being grilled by the Iraq inquiry.  The hearing is being screened live.  In the questioning Tony Blair argued that the US policy was of regime change. He admitted that he had changed his view on terrorism after September 11.  He had taken the view that terrorism should be confronted and not contained.

The inquiry is looking at the decisions that led to Blair’s decision to invade Iraq.

Blair as usual is eloquent and continues to repeat his well-known views on the invasion of Iraq.

He was questioned by the inquiry that preparations for the invasion were being taken before the cabinet had reached a decision on the matter.  Blair insisted that there was collective responsibility at cabinet level. 

Blair argued that the military preparations had to be kept a secret.  He did say that there may have been some who were contrary to this military course.   He added that those people were more worried of having an alliance with a right wing US president.

He underlined that if the ultimatum was not met by Hussein, then the eventual course was military action with George Bush.

The inquiry has presented cabinet papers that showed Blair had been advised that there was no terrorism threat from Iraq.

Tony Blair was also queried over the fact that he had ignored the advice given to him by his legal advisor Lord Goldsmith.  Goldsmith had outlined in a six page report that there was no clear justification for the invasion of Iraq.