British Prime Minister Tony Blair today set up a review of intelligence on Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction – but any hopes that its report would be the final word on the affair were dashed when the Liberal Democrats refused to take part.

A fresh inquiry is to be held into intelligence on Saddam Hussein’s supposed arsenals of weapons of mass destruction, it was claimed today.

British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon was preparing to fight for his political life today, at the inquiry into David Kelly’s death.

Tony Blair is coming under mounting pressure to authorise an independent inquiry into the Iraqi dossiers affair after a trans-Atlantic split opened up over crucial intelligence.