Ministers call for Blair to come clean over Iraq invasion

British ministers are bracing themselves for a flood of demands to see the Government's legal advice on the invasion of Iraq within days of the Freedom of Information Act coming into force this weekend.

The requests for the crucial piece of advice, and other documents relating to the decision to go to war, will put fresh pressure on Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The Government is expected to mount a furious defence to keep the legal advice secret in a battle over openness that is likely to be tested in the courts.

MPs, newspapers and groups opposed to the war are preparing to lodge formal requests to see the Attorney General's advice on the war under the new access to information laws which will give the public unprecedented access to confidential Whitehall files.

They will argue that, following Blair's admission that there was no 45-minute threat from Saddam Hussein or evidence of weapons of mass destruction, it is in the "public interest" to release the advice.

The advice from Lord Goldsmith, the Attorney General, is thought to include conditions about the legality of a strike against Iraq without full UN backing.

MPs will ask to see evidence that Blair had "strong factual grounds" to conclude that Iraq had not complied with its UN disarmament obligations and that there was "hard evidence" of non-co-operation by Saddam Hussein. But the Government is expected to vigorously resist the release of the papers and to cite an exemption allowing them to withhold "law officers' advice" and information on formulating policy.

But MPs have pledged to challenge the refusal of the Government on public interest grounds. Private correspondence about the war between Blair and other ministers is also to be asked for.

Llew Smith, Labour MP for Blaenau Gwent, said he would immediately challenge the Government if it refused to release the legal advice.

He said he would take the matter to the Information Commissioner, who will adjudicate in disputes.

"I will be simultaneously putting down parliamentary questions and using the Freedom of Information Act over the legal case for war," he said. "I will also be asking for information I have been refused about the nuclear industry and defence."

Downing St will also face requests under the freedom of information laws from MPs who have been refused answers from Tony Blair in the House of Commons.

Norman Baker, Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, has lodged an official complaint about Blair's refusal to answer a string of Parliamentary questions. He now plans to apply for the information using the new freedom of information laws.

"Without a doubt the Prime Minister has been far more reluctant than other ministers to release information to which MPs are entitled. I fully intend to challenge this by requesting the information I have been improperly refused by using the Freedom of Information Act," he said.

"The Government can adhere to the spirit of the law or the letter of the law. It will soon become apparent whether they are genuinely committed to openness or bitterly regretting passing this act."

Yesterday pressure groups including Friends of the Earth and British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection called on the Government not to hide behind exemptions to stop controversial documents being released.

- INDEPENDENT