The Iraq war dominated the campaign agenda yesterday.

Following widespread leaks of the attorney general's advice about the legality of the conflict with Saddam Hussein, Tony Blair opted to publish Lord Goldsmith's document in full.

After Labour saw the publication of their business manifesto completely overshadowed by the Iraq debate, the prime minister explained his decision by saying the media had now "probably got it all anyway" and that he saw "no reason" not to release the advice in full.

Blair insisted that the advice contained no "smoking gun" and, in a comment which drew strong criticism from Charles Kennedy, likened it to a "damp squib".

The Liberal Democrat leader responded: "I say to Tony Blair: go and describe these findings as a damp squib to the families of the British service personnel who gave their lives in Iraq, and to the innocent Iraqi citizens who are dead."

The Conservatives, meanwhile, unveiled a poster featuring a picture of Blair saying: "Iraq. Stealth taxes. Immigration. It's now or never to tell him what you think."

Earlier, Gordon Brown sought to stabilise the Labour campaign by defending the prime minister's conduct in the run up to the war.

The chancellor strongly rebutted claims that ministers had been steamrollered into supporting the invasion, adding: "This was the most difficult decision a Cabinet can make. But the decision was made in an honest, principled and clear way with the evidence before them.

"I not only trust Tony Blair but I respect Tony Blair for the way he went about that decision."

Although the families of some of the British soldiers killed in Iraq are preparing for a High Court challenge to the government, Iraq's deputy prime minister, Barham Salih, paid tribute to the prime minister.

"We have come from the ashes of tyranny and are trying to build a democratic government... None of this would have been possible without the leadership of Tony Blair."