Ballot for Gordon Brown's Iraq inquiry appearance

Gordon Brown is to give evidence in early March

People who want to watch Gordon Brown's appearance before the Iraq inquiry will have to enter a ballot.

There is still no date fixed for the prime minister, who was chancellor at the time of the March 2003 invasion, to give evidence to the panel.

But the inquiry team has confirmed that it will be early in March.

A similar ballot was held when Tony Blair, who was prime minister in the run-up and aftermath to the war, was grilled by the committee last month.

That ballot attracted more than 3,000 entries - the inquiry room only has 60 seats, although they were divided into morning and afternoon sessions.

'Matter of fairness'

Mr Brown was originally expected to give evidence after the general election - expected in May.

But he came under fire from the Lib Dems and the Conservatives, who said voters should know what role Mr Brown played in the decision to go to war.

Inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot said in January he had wanted the inquiry to "stay outside party politics" but that Mr Brown had written to him to say he was happy to appear whenever the panel wanted.

Sir John said "as a matter of fairness", he would offer Mr Brown the opportunity to appear before the election.

Questions have been raised by other witnesses before the panel, including the former Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon, about funding for the armed services during the period.

The prime minister said he had nothing to hide and was keen to state the case about why Britain was right to take military action in Iraq.

He told the Evening Standard last week: "The reason I virtually volunteered to go to the Chilcot inquiry earlier is because I do not want there to be any misunderstandings on either our commitment on defence or our decision as a cabinet - and it was a collective cabinet decision - to go to war."