Gordon Brown will give evidence to the Chilcot inquiry before the general election on his role in the Iraq war, it emerged last night. In the past week the prime minister has come under pressure from Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg and others to appear before the election, which must be held by June.

A spokesman for the inquiry confirmed that Sir John Chilcot had written to Brown on Thursday, saying the panel would be "happy to offer him the opportunity" to appear before the election and that it planned to make the letter public on Friday morning.

At prime minister's questions on Wednesday, Clegg accused Brown of hiding from the inquiry and argued that voters could not make a full judgment on his leadership without knowing what his role in the war had been.

Number 10 said: "A few weeks ago the inquiry suggested the prime minister appear after the election. The prime minister has always offered to give full evidence and is happy to do so at any time."

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