Alex Salmond accuses Tony Blair of trying to divert attention from Chilcot report

Alex Salmond has accused Tony Blair of trying to divert attention from the upcoming Chilcot report into the Iraq war by calling for a war against ISIL in Syria.

Salmond suggested the former prime minister was "getting his excuses in" when he suggested British ground troops should again be sent into the Middle East.

At an event in London yesterday, Tony Blair said: "Airstrikes are not going to defeat them. You're going to have to wage a proper ground war against them.

“The only question for us is if we're prepared to do that or not.

"If we don't defeat them, they're going to come and attack us. This is not someone else's fight, this is our fight.”

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Speaking on his LBC radio phone-in show, Salmond said: "Tony Blair wants you and I to be debating whether or not we should be following his advice on Syria rather than debating what we should be debating - about him finally being called to account for Iraq.

"I know this man like the back of my hand - I know every move he makes."

The Chilcot report will be published on 6 July and is expected to be highly critical of Tony Blair.

Salmond described himself as the "prosecuting attorney" in attempts by some MPs to have Blair prosecuted over Iraq.

He said he hoped Chilcot would show that the former prime minister had promised George Bush he would back the war a year before the 2003 invasion.

"If that's the case then he's certainly got a huge case to answer and therefore either a criminal process in this country, the International Criminal Court or a process of parliamentary impeachment will hold him to account," Salmond said.

"We are determined to hold him to account."