No 10 denies Blair knew Iraq posed no threat

DOWNING STREET last night dismissed claims that Tony Blair knew Iraq did not pose a real threat to Britain before the war.

The claims were made by former foreign secretary Robin Cook in part of his diary published in the Sunday Times yesterday.

Mr Cook said that it was clear when he spoke to the prime minister just two weeks before conflict commenced that Mr Blair did not believe Saddam's weapons posed a "real and present danger" to Britain.