Henley MP Boris Johnson yesterday (October 13) led demands that Tony Blair be put on trial for lying to the British public over the Iraq war.

Boris Johnson

The Conservative MP broke ranks with his own party leader, Michael Howard, who has refused to back the calls for impeachment.

Mr Johnson insisted it was time the Prime Minister was held to account.

Speaking at the launch of the impeachment campaign, he said: "It's about truth, and about whether Blair misrepresented the data he had before him.

"We were asked to believe he had seen some very alarming information from the intelligence services, and that he was the only member of Parliament who saw it, and we were asked to take it on trust.

"If you look at the discrepancies between what he said the intelligence services were telling him and what the intelligence services turned out actually to be reporting, it is perfectly clear he misrepresented that data."

The Tory MP wants Parliament to vote on whether Mr Blair misled them over the reasons for going to war.

If the Commons says he did, the House of Lords -- Britain's highest court -- would put Mr Blair on trial.

MPs supporting the case for impeachment argue the Prime Minister led the country to war because Iraq posed a threat to the nation with its weapons of mass destruction.

Mr Blair himself now admits there were no weapons, but blames faulty intelligence. He resolutely denies misleading Parliament and consistently refuses to apologise for the conflict.

The impeachment campaign is being spearheaded by Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru and Conservative barrister Edward Garnier.

The group's website -- www.impeachblair.org -- says: "Tony Blair has misled the people time and time again -- this conduct cannot continue to go unchecked."

"The Members of Parliament backing this campaign believe it is their duty to do all they can to hold this Prime Minister to account in order to restore the people's faith in the democratic process."

The decision to allow a vote in the Commons on impeachment will only go ahead if the Speaker agrees.

That is considered only to be likely if public opinion proves overwhelmingly in favour.