Hague pledges full probe into Iraq war

Mr Hague said that a probe into the decisions and intelligence before and after the conflict started in 2003 would be a priority of a Cameron administration.

He stressed that with the war now in its sixth year, making it longer than the Second World War, it was crucial that no further delay took place because memories of key conversations were fading.

The inquiry, conducted by the Privy Council, would look at emails and documents, as well as interview the main players such as Tony Blair.

Although Mr Blair insisted that four separate inquiries had been conducted into the circumstances surrounding the war, many believe that a thorough overview has not yet been undertaken.

Mr Hague repeated his call for Gordon Brown to establish an inquiry, but warned that failure to do so would not stop a Tory administration from instigating one if it reached office.

He said: "I call again on ministers to establish a full Privy Council inquiry into the origins and conduct of the war so that all can learn from its mistakes and apply the lessons as soon as possible.

"And I make it clear today that if they do not establish such an inquiry, one of the first acts of a Conservative government will be to do so."

The Tories dismiss claims that a full probe would be bad for military morale, pointing out that a similar inquiry in the US has not had that effect.

Mr Hague said: "We supported the decision to remove Saddam Hussein, but we all know that an occupation of Iraq that was better conceived and implemented could have spared so many the agony and bloodshed of the last five years."

He also called for tougher sanctions on Iran, including an EU ban on investment in its oil and gas industry, if Tehran failed to comply with UN demands on its nuclear programme.

In a move that cheered the conference, the shadow foreign secretary lambasted David Miliband's handling of the Lisbon treaty and reaffirmed the party's commitment to hold a referendum on the issue.

"Our position rests on the basic truth that in a democracy, lasting political institutions cannot be built without popular consent," he said to one of the loudest cheers of the conference.

"If in the end this treaty is ratified, by all 27 nations of the EU, then clearly it would lack democratic legitimacy here in Britain, political integration would have gone too far, and we would set out at that point the consequences of that and how we would intend to proceed."

Mr Hague attacked the Government for ratifying the treaty despite the "no" vote in Ireland.

He said: "We say to the Irish people - you are not alone, and if a Conservative government takes office while the Lisbon treaty remains unratified by Ireland or any other nation, we will hold the referendum the British people want."