Hoon and Straw in conflict over chances of war

Differences inside the Cabinet over Iraq burst into the open last night when Geoff Hoon, the Secretary of State for Defence, criticised Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, for saying a war was now less likely.

A day after Mr Straw suggested the chances of a military conflict had slipped to 60-40 against, Mr Hoon declared: "I don't believe that it helps to make those kinds of comments at this stage."

Mr Hoon's surprise rebuke reflected the irritation of service chiefs that Mr Straw was talking down the prospect of a war just as they were stepping up preparations to send forces to the Gulf and call up reservists. The row also highlighted the divisions in Tony Blair's Cabinet on Iraq. According to other ministers, Mr Hoon is among the Cabinet's leading "hawks", while Mr Straw is more cautious.

At the weekend, an unnamed Cabinet Minister was quoted saying the chances of conflict had fallen from 60-40 in favour before Christmas to 60-40 against. On Monday, Mr Straw commented: "That is a reasonably accurate description – but the situation changes from day to day."

Last night Mr Hoon told BBC Radio: "He [Mr Straw] gave a snapshot, as I understand it, of the position at the time. What I have to do as far as my responsibilities in the Government are concerned, is to make available military capabilities should they be required. Clearly, if the assessment were even very low that military action were required I would still have the responsibility of ensuring we could fulfil those requirements should they be necessary."

Further evidence of the differing approaches came when Mr Straw moved to reassure Labour MPs that Britain was not seeking a military confrontation with Saddam Hussein. In a written Commons statement setting out the Government's policy on Iraq, the Foreign Secretary did not mention President Saddam by name or raise the prospect of "regime change" in Baghdad – a stated goal of President George Bush. Mr Straw said: "Our primary objective is to rid Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction and its associated programmes and means of delivery, including prohibited ballistic missiles, as set out in United Nations Security Council resolutions."

The statement formed part of a concerted drive to quell a Labour backbench rebellion. Many Labour MPs, and some ministers, fear the US and Britain are locked on an irreversible course to war in Iraq.

Mr Straw's statement included only a veiled threat of military action. While Britain sought the "peaceful disarmament" of Iraq's weapons, he added that UN resolution 1441 made clear that the regime would face "serious consequences" if it did not comply.

The Foreign Secretary said the Government would "continue to make military plans and preparations in case military action is required" to enforce the will of the international community.