'Invasion of Iraq was illegal' Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg tells a questions and answer session at Newcastle College in Newcastle

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told a meeting in Newcastle he believed the Iraq was was illegal

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has repeated his personal view that the invasion of Iraq was illegal

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has restated his view that the Iraq War was illegal, saying: "I don't think the legality of that invasion has been proven."

Mr Clegg stressed it was his personal opinion and said the Government did not have a view on the legality of the war.

Apart from questions over the legality of the conflict, Mr Clegg said the wisdom of the 2003 invasion "certainly hasn't been proven at all".

Mr Clegg voiced his strong opposition to the war last month as he stood in at the Commons despatch box for David Cameron at Prime Minister's Questions.

His position was later disowned by Number 10, which stressed that the Liberal Democrat leader was articulating his "individual" view.

But Mr Clegg is once more "holding the fort" for the holidaying Prime Minister, and he has repeated his views on the war.

During a public question and answer session in Newcastle, he was asked on what basis he had decided the war was illegal.

Mr Clegg replied: "As I said at the time, and I'll repeat again, that was my own personal view, it's not the Government's view. The Government doesn't have a view about the legality of the war."

But he continued: "You can turn it on its head - I don't think the legality of that invasion has been proven. The wisdom of it certainly hasn't been proven at all.

"I was then a staunch, staunch opponent of the decision to invade Iraq and I remain a staunch opponent of the decision to invade Iraq."

PA