BRITAIN: The focus on Iraq during the past week of electioneering has been bad news for Labour, the party's former leader said.
Lord Kinnock of Bedwelty said it had led to "a massive diversion" of the Labour campaign and obscured fundamental issues such as the economy, education, health, crime and security.
He warned that the "dislocating and diverting effect" could be greater than the balance-of-payments figures in the election of 1970 which saw a surprise defeat for Labour.
In an interview for GMTV's Sunday Programme, he said: "It hasn't been good - and that's the main point - that it is a massive diversion of the campaign for reasons which are understandable.
"It's a question of war and peace and the conduct of government, so there is a legitimate matter in any general election in a democracy."
Lord Kinnock agreed it would have been better to publish the attorney general's full advice on the legality of the conflict earlier and blamed a general tendency among governments towards secrecy.
He added: "Some of that speculation, certainly the mischievous and poisonous speculation, could have been laid to rest by the publication of very good, well-phrased analytical advice from the man who's paid to give the balance of considerations, the Attorney-General."
Lord Kinnock said that he expected Gordon Brown to win a leadership contest to replace Tony Blair as prime minister.
"I'd experience nothing but delight at a Gordon Brown victory. Absolutely. Very, very good," he told GMTV.
Lord Kinnock also ruled out a government role in the House of Lords if Labour is re-elected.
The former European commissioner said he regretted that Britain looked set to remain outside the euro for many years, but predicted it would eventually join.