Cabinet revolt over war on Iraq

TONY Blair was yesterday warned by his Cabinet that he faces a revolt unless he is able to give full justification for joining the US in any attack on Iraq.

The Prime Minister was told in a stormy meeting that there was deep unease in Westminster about Britain falling full square behind President George Bush.

The argument is expected to resume today as Mr Blair convenes a rare meeting of a political Cabinet, where he will meet all his ministers in his Chequers residence, without their civil service aides.

The tensions surfaced yesterday when Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, laid out the options facing Britain should the situation in Iraq escalate.

Clare Short, the International Development Secretary, is understood to have led the critics, arguing there remained nothing linking the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, to the attacks of 11 September.

It was also pointed out that diplomatic channels were still being used, as Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary general, was meeting Naji Sabri, the Iraqi foreign minister, in New York yesterday.

Mr Blair is understood to have repeated his public position - that Saddam has already violated UN resolutions by accumulating chemical and possibly nuclear weapons and must be "dealt with".

Ms Short is understood to have been supported by Robin Cook, Leader of the House of Commons. Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, is also cautious about any military action.

Doubts over Iraq were made public later when Mr Cook was asked in parliament whether MPs would have the chance to debate an Iraqi campaign.

"No decisions have been taken and no decisions may ever be taken," he said, adding that he would not be drawn into a "wholly hypothetical outcome which is not expected for many months".

Mr Blair had planned today’s Chequers meeting several weeks ago and intended it to be a brainstorming session on the future direction of the government. However, Iraq is expected to dominate the agenda as he prepares the government position ahead of meeting Dick Cheney, the US vice president, on Monday.

Last night, the number of Labour backbenchers formally opposing military action in Iraq grew to 60, all signing a motion calling for Mr Blair to get in line with the UN.

George Galloway, the most vociferous opponent of Iraqi sanctions, yesterday apologised to the House of Commons for losing his temper in an earlier debate, where he denounced Ben Bradshaw, a Foreign Office minister, as a liar. Mr Bradshaw, in turn, apologised for calling Mr Galloway a mouthpiece of Saddam’s regime.

The escalating rhetoric about Iraq from Downing Street contrasts with the near-silence on Iraq from Washington - where all attention remains focused on the continuing campaign in Afghanistan.

However, Mr Blair still has some considerable distance to go before he reaches the White House’s position on Iraq made clear by President Bush during his "axis of evil" speech.

Crucially, Washington has said it will not settle for the UN demand that weapons inspectors - expelled from Iraq in 1998 - are allowed to return.

Donald Rumsfeld, the US Defence Secretary, argues that the inspectorate was too weak in the first place and will not be able to find weapons Saddam will have now learned to hide.

Mr Blair has not yet made clear whether he is behind the UN position, adopted by most of continental Europe, or stands behind President Bush.

Washington analysts say any attack on Iraq will not come for months as so many weapons are still being used in Afghanistan.

However, Pentagon sources have said they are confident of winning Britain’s support when attention does turn to Iraq.

The White House announced yesterday that Mr Blair will visit President Bush at his ranch in the first weekend of April to "consult against the on-going campaign against terrorism".

When asked why Mr Blair was going to the Texas ranch rather than Washington, the White House spokesman said: "I think it’s a sign of their closeness.

"They’ve met on many occasions and talk on the phone often - he’s a good friend."

Colin Powell, the US State Secretary, said the two would not be discussing any plans to attack Iraq.

"It certainly isn’t my understanding of the purpose of their meeting," he said last night. "There is no war which is about to break out."

Mr Annan said last night he was expecting "no breakthrough" in his talks with Mr Sabri, but that negotiations had started well.