'I know that we didn't lie': Campbell talks Blair and Iraq war at Hay Festival

Alastair Campbell has insisted he and Tony Blair did not lie over the government's decision to invade Iraq but that the reason behind the decision turned out to be "untrue".

- ATHENA STAVROU

The former No 10 spin doctor made the comments during a talk at the Hay Festival in Wales, which The Independent has partnered with.

“I got called a liar a lot; Tony Blair got called a liar a lot over Iraq,” he said. “I know that we didn’t lie. We made a decision based upon a premise that turned out to be untrue. It’s not the same as a lie.”

He added: “Lying is when you are expressing something you know to be untrue. So Putin knows he invaded Ukraine. He knows it’s not a special military operation because he’s trying to wipe out another country.”

Mr Campbell was Downing Street’s director of communications and strategy while Mr Blair was in office and became one of the Labour prime minister’s most trusted aides.