Army chief: We did as we were directed

There was no reason for military chiefs to say it was impossible to go to war in Iraq, the former head of the Army has said.

General Sir Mike Jackson, who became Chief of the General Staff in 2003, a month before the start of the Iraq War, told Martha Kearney British forces had done as they had been directed.

The UK deployment in Afghanistan was not a reason to tell ministers that it was not possible to join the invasion of Iraq, he said.

(Photo: General Sir Mike Jackson. Credit: Press Association)