The British Prime Minister today insisted the world was safer without Saddam Hussein in power.
Speaking after Lord Butler handed him an advance copy of his report into intelligence on Iraq, which will be published tomorrow Mr Blair said: "With the history of Saddam ... we are better, safer, more secure without him in office".
Officials said Mr Blair saw the report at lunchtime, giving him almost a day longer than his opponents to digest the result of five months of inquiry by former top civil servant Lord Butler.
It is likely to be uncomfortable reading for a leader who took his country into war against overwhelmingly negative public opinion and may cost him dearly in two elections on Thursday in which a large Muslim vote could turn against him.
The report will be published at 11.30 a.m. and Mr Blair will respond with a statement to parliament, hoping it will help him draw a line and refocus on domestic politics ahead of next year's expected general election.
He urged reporters to wait for the report before judging it but added: "With the transfer of sovereignty a couple of weeks ago, you can feel the situation changing (in Iraq)."
Mr Butler's probe mirrors a Senate inquiry in Washington which last week found US intelligence agencies overstated the threat of Iraqi weapons, relied on dubious sources and ignored contrary evidence in the run-up to the 2003 invasion.
British intelligence is widely expected to be criticised too though most observers doubt Mr Butler will take political scalps. Blair persuaded parliament to back war on Iraq on the basis that Baghdad had biological and chemical weapons.
A notorious UK dossier from September 2002 said some could have been fired within 45 minutes of an order to do so. Over a year after Saddam was ousted, no such weapons have been found.
Mr Blair admitted for the first time last week they may never be. Colleagues insist Mr Blair's appetite for power is undimmed but senior ministers have been forced to quash rumours that he almost quit recently.
PA