Blair pays surprise visit to troops in Iraq

British Prime Minister Tony Blair flew into Basra today for a surprise visit to British troops in Iraq.

Mr Blair landed in an RAF C17 Globemaster transport plane which had ferried him from his Egyptian holiday resort of Sharm-el-Sheik after a family Christmas break.

The Prime Minister was making his second visit to some of the 10,000 UK servicemen and women based around Basra in southern Iraq, after visiting them in May.

He was expected to address the troops later today, telling them that no matter what people’s views on the war against Saddam Hussein’s regime they have the full support of the public at home for the job they are now doing.

Mr Blair’s visit comes just before the publication of Lord Hutton’s report into events surrounding the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly – expected later this month.

The controversy over whether the premier and his No 10 team misled the country into a war first surfaced during Mr Blair’s earlier visit to Iraq.

The BBC broadcast claims that Downing Street had “sexed up” intelligence material just hours before Mr Blair made his speech in front of the troops on May 29.