MEDWAY MP Bob Marshall-Andrews has rejected suggestions that the publication of the legal advice given to Tony Blair about the Iraq war will cost Labour crucial votes in marginal seats.

But he reaffirmed his view that Mr Blair was not, in his view, the best person to have led Labour into the election.

He said: "I have not changed my view. I thought the Prime Minister has done enough and that he would serve the country well by standing aside. I think the decisions he took over the Iraq war were bound to have some political fallout and they have."

The advice contained warnings about the possible risk of Britain being hauled before the international courts as well as concerns about the war’s legality.

The Medway MP has been an outspoken critic of his Government over the Iraq war and opposed it in Parliament. He is defending a majority of 3,780 in the seat he has held since 1997.

Asked if he regarded Mr Blair as a liability, he said: "I would stop short of saying he was a liability. My bet is that the publication of the advice will make very little difference and one of the reasons for that is the extraordinary stance being taken by the Conservatives, who say they would have gone to war whether it was legal or illegal."

Michael Howard, meanwhile, said the advice was "devastating" and showed that the Prime Minister had deceived parliament.

"If you cannot trust Mr Blair on the decision to take the country to war, the most important decision that any prime minister can take, how can you trust Mr Blair on anything else, ever again?" he said.