Tony Blair has explained, for the first time, the events of 2003 that led to the sacking of Lord Irvine and the creation of the Supreme Court. He accepts full responsibility for an "extremely bumpy" process.

His explanation, in a letter to the Lords Constitution Committee, is not particularly easy to follow. But he insists that he was aware that this was a "major constitutional change". He is also very generous towards Lord Irvine.