LONDON, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- The London inquiry into the British role in the Iraq war said Friday that Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his top ministers will testify before June elections.
The inquiry announced before a holiday recess in 2009 that it would not be used as a political platform. Brown and other Cabinet ministers were not expected to testify before general elections in June.
The announcement that Tony Blair, Brown's predecessor, would face questioning before the inquiry Jan. 29 put pressure on the British premier to appear before the inquiry.
Brown told the House of Commons this week that he wrote John Chilcot, the head of the inquiry, to tell him he would testify at any time. Brown served as the finance minister during the Blair administration.
Chilcot in a statement released Friday said he offered Brown and his top Cabinet ministers a formal invitation to appear before inquiry prior to the June elections.
"As a matter of fairness, the committee has concluded that it should offer, if you wish to take it up, the opportunity for you (Brown), (Foreign Secretary) David Miliband and (International Development Secretary) Douglas Alexander to attend hearings before the general election," Chilcot said.
Brown, should he accept, would testify as early as February.
