Families of fallen soldiers slam Blair over 'lies'

But the most common allegation levelled at the former Prime Minister on the day of his appearance at the Iraq Inquiry was that he was a "liar".

Anti-war protesters held aloft "Bliar" signs outside the Queen Elizabeth II centre and inside one audience member shouted the word at the former premier as he concluded his evidence.

Having finished speaking, a cry of "you're a liar" came, followed by a second of "and a murderer".

Those who stood outside in protest, however, were denied the opportunity to confront the ex-premier face-to-face as he arrived via a back entrance more than two hours before he was due to be questioned by the Chilcot Inquiry.

Andrew Murray, chairman of the Stop The War Coalition, said: "This cowardly and deceitful entrance is typical of how the former Prime Minister sold the war to the country – behind the backs of the public."

Mr Blair could not avoid the families of military personnel inside the hearing room, among them the mother of fallen Yorkshire soldier Kris O'Neill.

Valerie O'Neill said she had promised her son that she would discover the truth about the war and wanted to hear the former Prime Minister explain why Britain entered the conflict.

Many other family members expressed disgust at his appearance during questioning with several of the parents accusing the former PM of appearing "smug" and of smirking.

The tanned former Prime Minister was seen to be smiling frequently at the panel as he gave his evidence, something many took as a mark of "disrespect".

One father walked out of an adjoining room where most of the families given access to the hearing were watching on a live monitor, denouncing the proceedings as a "complete waste of time".

Sarah Chapman, from Cambridge, whose brother Sergeant Bob O'Connor died five years ago tomorrow, said: "He is sitting with his back to the families, which I think is a mark of disrespect."

Theresea Evans, from Llandudno, North Wales, whose 24-year-old son, Llywelyn, died in a Chinook helicopter crash in 2003, said: "I would simply like Tony Blair to look me in the eyes and say he was sorry. Instead he is in there smirking."

And Rose Gentle, whose 19-year-old son Gordon was killed in June 2004, said she felt "sick" with the emotion of being in the same room as Mr Blair.

"He had a smirk on his face which has made the families very angry. He has convinced himself he was right, but it has emerged today that half the Cabinet were not given all the papers. It makes me so angry."

Mrs Gentle's daughter Maxine, who wrote to Mr Blair when aged just 14 blaming him for her brother's death, elected to join protesters outside the centre.

Lindsey German, the group's convener, said: "Blair doesn't have the decency or honesty to face up to the public, military families, and Iraqis who will be here today in huge numbers to show their opposition to the war.

"He does not have the integrity to come and face the people. Sliding in by a back door entrance is typical of his lies, deceit and evasion."

Hundreds of police officers formed a cordon around the centre, forcing protesters to stand on the pavement.

As Mr Blair sat down at the start of today's session, the anti-war protesters turned their backs on the conference centre to listen to names of civilians and military personnel killed in the conflict being read out, including babies and children, as well as British soldiers.

Among those protesting was Saba Jaiwad, from an Iraqi anti-war group, said his fellow countrymen and women suffered "appalling" consequences as a result of the war.

'No private deal with president'

Tony Blair rejected claims that he struck a private deal with President George Bush over Iraq 11 months before the invasion.

But the former prime minister said he pledged British backing to America if military action was needed to overthrow Saddam Hussein.

He confirmed that, in one-on-one talks at the president's ranch in April 2002, he told Mr Bush he would be "with him".

Mr Blair said he had always been clear that the Iraqi dictator had to be confronted over supposed weapons of mass destruction (WMD) but insisted he had left open how it should be done.

World leaders warned on Iranian threat

Tony Blair appeared to suggest that military action might be necessary to stop Iran developing its weapons programmes.

The former prime minister, who is now a Middle East peace envoy, said Tehran's actions have made him even more afraid today that a rogue state could supply weapons of mass destruction to terrorists than he was when he took Britain to war with Iraq in 2003.

He warned that world leaders now face the same kinds of decision about the dangers posed by repressive regimes as he did seven years ago.

"My judgment – and it may be other people don't take this view, and that's for the leaders of today to make their judgment – is we don't take any risks with this issue."

Mr Blair raised serious concerns about Tehran's links with terrorist organisations.

He said: "My fear was – and I would say I hold this fear stronger today than I did back then as a result of what Iran particularly today is doing – my fear is that states that are highly repressive or failed, the danger of a WMD link is that they become porous, they construct all sorts of different alliances with people."