London , England ( CNN ) -- Britain 's top legal official `` misled '' the government over the case for war in Iraq under pressure from then prime minister Tony Blair , a former Cabinet minister claimed Tuesday . Clare Short , who was Blair 's international development secretary until she quit over the Iraq invasion , said Attorney General Peter Goldsmith withheld his own `` doubts and changes of opinion '' in giving the go-ahead for war . `` I think he misled the Cabinet . He certainly misled me , but people let it through , '' Short told an inquiry into Britain 's role in the March 2003 Iraq invasion . The inquiry -- Britain 's fifth examination of its Iraq involvement -- has already grilled senior figures including Blair , former defense minister Geoff Hoon and Britain 's top military commander Jock Stirrup . Short said that Goldsmith , who last week testified before the inquiry that he was initially ambivalent but later adamant over the legality of the war , was wrong to press the case . Goldsmith initially advised Blair in January 2003 that it would be unlawful to invade Iraq without a United Nations Security Council resolution but changed his mind a month later . `` I think for the attorney general to come and say there 's unequivocal legal authority to go to war was misleading . '' Short said Goldsmith was `` leaned on '' by Blair to agree to the war . `` Lord Goldsmith said he was excluded from lots of meetings -- that 's a form of pressure . `` It was suggested to him that he go to the U.S. to get advice about the legal position . `` You have got the Bush administration who have very low respect for international law . It seems the most extraordinary place in the world to go to get advice about international law . '' She added : `` I think all that was leaning on -- sending him to America , excluding him and then including him . '' Her comments came just days after Blair appearance at the inquiry generated protests , with several hundred anti-war campaigners gathering outside the London venue chanting `` Blair lied , thousands died '' and other slogans . Blair denied claims he had struck a secret deal with U.S. President George W. Bush in 2002 pledging British backing for the invasion and said he believed `` beyond doubt '' his unfounded pre-war claim that Iraq was capable of launching chemical and biological weapons within 45 minutes . Blair : No 'covert ' deal with Bush over Iraq . Analysts say involvement in the Iraq war remains a `` live political issue '' in the UK , because the same government -- now led by Gordon Brown -- was still power , whereas the parties of other leaders in the U.S. and Australia have been voted out of office . `` The others have faced critical public scrutiny and been damaged by that , '' legal expert Glen Rangwala of Cambridge University told CNN . `` The British have n't had a change of administration so in many ways it remains a live political issue because it reflects on people who are in government . '' CNN 's Simon Hooper contributed to this report .
Ex-minister Clare Short says attorney general withheld doubts over Iraq war . She is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and has been critical of Bush administration policy on Iraq. Inquiry is Britain 's fifth examination of role in Iraq conflict .