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British Prime Minister Gordon Brown
But the prime minister has faced growing calls from his political opponents to testify, which intensified this week with accusations Brown -- finance minister during the conflict -- had starved the military of vital funds.
The BBC and Daily Mirror newspaper both reported Brown would appear before the elections.
An inquiry spokesman confirmed its chairman John Chilcot had written to the prime minister Thursday saying the panel would be "happy to offer him the opportunity" to appear before the election.
A government spokesman gave no official confirmation but said: "The prime minister has always offered to give full evidence to the Iraq inquiry and is happy to do so at any time."
Brown has publicly insisted he has "nothing to hide" and Wednesday told lawmakers he had to written to the investigation to stress he was willing to give evidence.
"I am happy to give evidence about all the issues that (John Chilcot) puts forward, and I am happy to satisfy the public of this country about our government's commitment to the security of this country," he said.
Pressure has mounted on the prime minister to testify recently as figures central to Britain's involvement in the war have given evidence to the inquiry.
Former defence secretary Geoff Hoon told the inquiry this week that as finance minister, Brown failed to fund the forces properly in the years before the conflict and then cut their budget following the invasion.
And Tony Blair's former communications chief Alastair Campbell said last week that Brown was part of an "inner circle" that the then prime minister took advice from in private on Iraq.
Leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, said it was right that the prime minister should "explain his role in this disastrous foreign policy failure."
"It is well known that the Prime Minister was a key figure in Britain's decision to invade Iraq," said Clegg.
The Chilcot inquiry was announced by Gordon Brown in June, honouring a pledge that the run-up to and conduct of the US-led and British-backed conflict would be examined once British troops pulled out.
Brown's predecessor Blair faced intense public hostility after backing then US president George W. Bush in the invasion and Blair's resulting unpopularity was one of the main reasons which led to him stepping down in 2007.
Blair is due to give evidence at the inquiry next week.
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The BBC and Daily Mirror newspaper both reported Brown would appear before the elections.
An inquiry spokesman confirmed its chairman John Chilcot had written to the prime minister Thursday saying the panel would be "happy to offer him the opportunity" to appear before the election.
A government spokesman gave no official confirmation but said: "The prime minister has always offered to give full evidence to the Iraq inquiry and is happy to do so at any time."
Brown has publicly insisted he has "nothing to hide" and Wednesday told lawmakers he had to written to the investigation to stress he was willing to give evidence.
"I am happy to give evidence about all the issues that (John Chilcot) puts forward, and I am happy to satisfy the public of this country about our government's commitment to the security of this country," he said.
Pressure has mounted on the prime minister to testify recently as figures central to Britain's involvement in the war have given evidence to the inquiry.
Former defence secretary Geoff Hoon told the inquiry this week that as finance minister, Brown failed to fund the forces properly in the years before the conflict and then cut their budget following the invasion.
And Tony Blair's former communications chief Alastair Campbell said last week that Brown was part of an "inner circle" that the then prime minister took advice from in private on Iraq.
Leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, said it was right that the prime minister should "explain his role in this disastrous foreign policy failure."
"It is well known that the Prime Minister was a key figure in Britain's decision to invade Iraq," said Clegg.
The Chilcot inquiry was announced by Gordon Brown in June, honouring a pledge that the run-up to and conduct of the US-led and British-backed conflict would be examined once British troops pulled out.
Brown's predecessor Blair faced intense public hostility after backing then US president George W. Bush in the invasion and Blair's resulting unpopularity was one of the main reasons which led to him stepping down in 2007.
Blair is due to give evidence at the inquiry next week.
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