The High Court has blocked a bid by a former chief of staff of the Iraqi army to bring a private prosecution against Tony Blair over the Iraq war.

General Abdul Wahed Shannan Al Rabbat has accused Mr Blair, while UK prime minister, of committing a "crime of aggression" by invading Iraq in 2003 to overthrow President Saddam Hussein.

The general wanted to prosecute Mr Blair and two other key ministers at the time - foreign secretary Jack Straw and attorney general Lord Goldsmith.

His lawyers asked London's High Court for permission to seek judicial review in an attempt to get the Supreme Court, now the highest court in the land, to overturn a ruling by the House of Lords in 2006 that there is no such crime as the crime of aggression under the law of England and Wales.

Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, the Lord Chief Justice, and Mr Justice Ouseley dismissed the general's application, saying there was "no prospect" of the case succeeding.

Delivering a written judgment, he said the court had taken the view that: "Because of a decision by the House of Lords binding in this court, there is no crime of aggression under domestic UK law."