Tony Blair still has substantial public support for his decision to take the country to war with Iraq, according to a new opinion poll.

The news came as the government prepared for another review of its intelligence on Iraq with the imminent publication of the parliamentary intelligence and security committee's report on the issue.

Nearly half of British voters still believe that military action in Iraq was the right thing to do, found a Populus poll for the Times newspaper.

Despite continuing violence in the country, criticism over the slow place of reconstruction, and events surrounding the death of Dr David Kelly there has been only a slight swing away from support for the war in the past month.

At present 47 per cent of the public thinks that the war was "the right thing to do", with 43 per cent believing it was "the wrong thing to do".

This compares with a 51 to 41 per cent breakdown a month ago.

The findings could provide one explanation for why Labour still leads the Conservatives in the opinion polls despite months of damaging headlines.

With 1,011 adults interviewed at the end of last week, the poll appears to suggest that doubts over the quality of intelligence used in the intelligence dossier have failed to produce a clear swing against the case for war.

But the government faces a further test this week with the publication of a second report on events leading up to the war.

Number 10 confirmed on Tuesday that the prime minister has now received a copy of the report, which is to be published on Thursday.

It is tipped to clear former communications chief Alastair Campbell of inserting the 45-minute claim into the dossier, but may express doubts over other details.