As Baron Goldsmith faced mounting criticism today for defending the BaE Court plea bargain decision, The Slog has learned that two Chilcot panellists believe he may have misled the Iraq Inquiry

We understand that Sir Roderic Lyne and Martin Gilbert are the two inquiry members most keen to get Goldsmith back to face the inquiry again.

Their belief relates largely to the Butler Inquiry evidence from Goldsmith, in which he told its members that he first confided his change of heart about the ‘legality’ of an Iraq invasion to Baroness Morgan and Lord Falconer. However, the Blairite Baron told Chilcot that the first person to know was Jack Straw.

A legal adviser close to the current Government has told the Slog, “It looks bad because it looks as if he can’t remember what he’s said to whom, or even when.” Meanwhile, speculation remains rife that the BaE case is central to getting to the truth about Iraq war sleaze. “The last person who should be defending it is Goldsmith,” said libertarian lawyer Delia Springer, “This really is the rapist guarding the King’s wives”.

Yesterday, senior lawyers throughout Britain again gave vent to their view that the former Attorney General’s conversion to legality was ‘unprecedented’. “Straw knows at least part of the combination to this lock-out” said one, “A lot of people are wondering what the Chilcot members will want to know”.

Jack Straw was said last night to be willing to help in any way he could. But at least one witness (and some US sources) have seemed to contradict the one-time Foreign Secretary’s self-image at the inquiry as a man racked by his conscience over the decision to go to war.

Mr Straw returns to face the Inquiry again at 2.00pm today GMT