The White House yesterday immediately rejected an attempt by Democrats to force Condoleezza Rice, secretary of state, to testify before Congress about the Bush administration's use of intelligence to justify its invasion of Iraq, in particular the since discredited assertion that Saddam Hussein had tried to acquire uranium from Niger.

The House committee on oversight and government reform voted 21-10 in favour of issuing a subpoena to Ms Rice, who has refused to testify before the committee on the grounds that she had already provided all necessary information.