John Chilcot

Blair still believes Iraq war was right

He arrived early - out of sight of the cameras, and the protesters who'd gathered to greet him.

In the damp chill of the winter's morning this was an historic moment. Here was a former British Prime Minister being asked to explain in public why he took his country to war.

The room where the inquiry is being held is small, and compact, some would say claustrophobic.

At 9.30 he walked in. As one of the six journalists given access to this session, I could see his hair was greyer than the last time I saw him. And he was more tanned. Just metres behind him, the members of the public who won seats in a ballot to be there. One had a row of medals on his chest. Another young woman, clutched a photograph of a solider, almost certainly one who died in the conflict in 2003. I thought I saw a slight shake from Tony Blair. A hint from this seasoned performer that even this was causing him a moment of anxiety.