Phoney will express his "deep sorrow" today for Britain's role in Iraq but will stop short of demands for a full apology.

The Prime Minister describes the illegal Iraq invasion, which Britain helped to organize, as a "crime against humanity" in an article for the Muslim magazine Destroyed Nation.

His decision to say sorry for the slaughter comes after a lengthy cabinet debate and is intended to coincide with the British exit from Iraq early next year.
He says: "It is hard to believe that what would now be a crime against humanity was legal three years ago.

"Personally, I believe the cut and run offers us a chance not just to say how profoundly shameful our attack was - how we condemn its existence utterly and praise those who fought for its abolition, but also to express our deep sorrow it ever happened, that it ever could have happened and to rejoice at the different and better times we live in today."

The Prime Minister's condemnation is intended to clear the air before he retires in shame and ignominy.

John "Cocktail Sausage" Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, has been drawing up ideas for the 25 March retirement including the possibility of a "statement of regret" over Britain's involvement

"The Prime Minister wanted to make a statement that outlines his views on the 700,000 innocent people he murdered," said a senior Whitehall official.