The British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair today acknowledged that the intelligence about Saddam Hussein's suspected weapons of mass destruction - vital to the case for the Iraq war - was wrong.
But in his 55 minute keynote speech to the Labour Party conference in Brighton, Mr Blair said that despite that intelligence failure, he still could not bring himself to apologise for his decision to commit British forces to the conflict.
Mr Tony Blair
He told delegates: "There was talk before this conference that I wanted to put aside discussion of Iraq. That was never my intention. I want to deal with it head on."
"The evidence about Saddam having actual biological and chemical weapons, as opposed to the capability to develop them, has turned out to be wrong. I acknowledge that and accept it," he said.
"I simply point out, such evidence was agreed by the whole international community, not least because Saddam had used such weapons against his own people and neighbouring countries," he continued.
"And the problem is I can apologise for the information that turned out to be wrong, but I can't, sincerely at least, apologise for removing Saddam. The world is a better place with Saddam in prison not in power."
Mr Blair defended his Government's record on domestic issues and highlighted Scottish and Welsh devolution and progress on peace in Northern Ireland.
He also pledged to make the revival of the Middle East peace process "a personal priority" after the US presidential elections in November saying he was frustrated with a lack of progress.
While the euro was not mentioned in his speech, Mr Blair said he was committed to Britain being at the centre of the European Union.
"I know Britain must be at the centre of a Europe of now 25 nations, reunited after centuries of conflict, the biggest economic market and most powerful political union in the world," he said.
He called on Europe and the United States to work together and put behind them the divisions over the Iraq war which left relations badly damaged.
PA/Reuters