Iraq war must have UN backing, Labour MPs tell Blair

Tony Blair was thrown on to the defensive over Iraq yesterday as his strategy was called into question by Labour, Tory and Liberal Democrat MPs.

After there was little sign of support for Mr Blair at Prime Minister's Questions, he came under fire at a private meeting with leaders of Labour backbenchers last night. They demanded that no military action be launched against Iraq without the specific approval of the United Nations.

But Downing Street was appearing to play down the prospect of early military action against Saddam Hussein's regime. Mr Blair's official spokesman suggested the report to be made to the United Nations Security Council by Hans Blix, the UN's chief weapons inspector, on 27 January would not necessarily be the moment when decisions were taken on a war. He said: "We don't regard 27 January as a deadline."

Winning support for a new UN resolution to authorise military action "would be preferable" but discussions could be held within the scope of the existing resolution on Iraq.

The more cautious approach was seen at Westminster as an attempt to reassure Labour MPs opposed to a war and to dissuade the American President, George Bush, from rushing into a conflict immediately after Mr Blix delivers his report.

Mr Blair told MPs in the House he was not playing a game of "dangerous brinkmanship" with President Saddam. The Baghdad regime had to be stripped of its nuclear, chemical and biological programmes, and he said it was "only a matter of time" before they fell into the hands of international terrorists. "What I would actually think is dangerous is if we allow Saddam to develop these weapons in breach of UN resolutions and do nothing about it," he said. "We will rue the consequences of that weakness at a later stage."

Iain Duncan Smith tried to exploit alleged differences over Iraq between Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, and Geoff Hoon, the Defence Secretary, who is seen as more hawkish. The Tory leader told Mr Blair: "Not for the first time, this Government is sending different messages to different audiences and cabinet ministers are in open disagreement. How can you convince the British people that war might be necessary if you cannot convince your own Cabinet?"

Mr Blair's official spokes-man said it was "simply not true" that the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence were at odds and insisted the Cabinet was "100 per cent united." The Prime Minister sidestepped a question from Charles Kennedy, the Liberal Democrat leader, on whether he would back US-led military action if UN inspectors failed to find clear evidence of weapons of mass destruction. Some ministers privately fear the inspectors will not find a "smoking gun", and that Mr Blair will decide to back unilateral action by America.

The anxiety on the Labour benches was shown when Terry Davis, MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill, asked Mr Blair pointedly: "Who is better placed to decide whether Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction, President Bush or Hans Blix?"

Michael Martin, the Commons Speaker, rejected a plea by the veteran Labour MP Tam Dalyell for an emergency debate on Iraq "before any more British servicemen and women are committed to the Gulf". Mr Dalyell said: "I passionately believe that if we send British troops to risk their lives that they are entitled to know that it is the settled overwhelming conviction of their countrymen their case is just and they are doing something that is urgent for Britain. That settled conviction at present does not exist."