Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg faced growing pressure from both Tory MPs and anti-war campaigners today, following his comments during Prime Minister's Questions that the Iraq was was 'illegal'.

With the Prime Minister engaged in talks with President Obama at the White House, Mr. Clegg was left to take Prime Minister's Questions in his absence.

After a series of technical problems with his microphone and stumbling responses, Mr. Clegg engaged in a heated debate with Labour's shadow justice secretary Jack Straw over the coalition government's policies.

Mr. Clegg said: 'I'm happy to account for everything we are doing in the coalition Government, which has brought together two parties, working in the national interest to sort out the mess that you left behind... maybe [Straw] will one day - perhaps we will have to wait for his memoirs - could account for his role in the most disastrous decision of all, which is the illegal invasion of Iraq'.