Britain’s deputy prime minister Nick Clegg described the war in Iraq as illegal on Wednesday while he was standing in for Prime Minister David Cameron at the House of Commons. Clegg made the comment during a heated exchange with Jack Straw, who was foreign secretary at the time of the invasion.

Nick Clegg: “Maybe he, one day — perhaps we’ll have to wait for his (Straw’s) memoirs — could account for his role in the most disastrous decision of all, which is the illegal invasion of Iraq.”

Soon after Clegg finished speaking, his office issued a statement insisting that he was speaking personally, not expressing an official view. International attorneys say Clegg’s comment could increase the chances of charges against Britain in international courts.