Gordon Brown today defended the invasion of Iraq but said he regretted he had not been able to persuade the US to take post-war planning “seriously enough” to ensure a “just peace”.

The prime minister revealed his frustration with US politicians in the build-up to the war when he told the Chilcot inquiry about his involvement in planning, discussions and decision-making while serving as chancellor.

Giving evidence today, Brown said the US-led invasion had been the “right decision made for the right reasons”.

Saddam Hussein was a “serial violator” of UN resolutions and a clear message had to be sent to “rogue states” that international law could not be flouted, he added.

He told the inquiry he had not been kept in the dark by Tony Blair in the run-up to the invasion, and said he had been convinced by a series of intelligence briefings that Iraq was a threat that “had to be dealt with”.

He also denied claims that the Treasury failed to provide enough money for military vehicles, forcing many troops to travel in lightly-armoured Snatch Land Rovers vulnerable to roadside bombs.

He said he provided the money every time defence chiefs asked for new equipment.

Brown also acknowledged that there were “important lessons” to be learned from the way Iraq had descended into chaos following the invasion, and said that the Americans had not taken the post-war reconstruction “seriously enough” prior to the invasion.

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