Lord Browne told Tony Blair that if he were charged with perjury he would not go down alone.

Browne said he has documents that showed Blair had committed UK forces to invading Iraq while he was still saying, in public, that he did not want to invade.

The courts had considered evidence about Browne’s extravagant international lifestyle, allegations that company resources were diverted to Brown’s boyfriend’s use, and claims that Lord Browne attempted to evade tax payments.

Lord Browne lost his case, in large part, because he lied to the court and claimed to have met his partner while jogging in a London park.

They had, his close associates conceded last night, made contact through a male escort agency's website.