One day in, Harman is accused of U-turn over Iraq war apology

Harriet Harman has been accused of reneging on her support for a government apology for the Iraq war within 24 hours of being elected Labour's deputy leader.

Ms Harman, 56, made a surprise comeback after winning left-wing votes to inflict the narrowest of defeats on the favourite, Alan Johnson, who ran a Blairite campaign.

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Gordon Brown refused to make her his deputy prime minister and cabinet ministers said she had been snubbed by being made party chairman instead.

The row stems from Ms Harman's remarks in the live BBC Newsnight hustings programme on 14 June. Jon Cruddas, a rival candidate who was the most outspoken critic of the Iraq war, was asked by Jeremy Paxman: "Do you think that the party should say sorry for what happened?"

Mr Cruddas replied: "I do actually, as part of a general reconciliation with the British people over what has been a disaster in Iraq."

Ms Harman then said: "Yep - I agree with that."

But yesterday, pressed by Ed Stourton on BBC Radio 4's Today programme about her support for an apology, she said: "I've never said that the Government should apologise."

She added: "How many times can I say it? I haven't asked anybody else to do anything - I've just explained what my position is. What I said was that we had to recognise the anger and bitterness that has been caused by Iraq, and we do, while at the same time strongly supporting our troops.

"I said I voted for the war on the basis there were weapons of mass destruction and that that was a mistaken belief and I had to acknowledge that."

Ms Harman denies going back on her word and yesterday sat happily on the front bench at the Commons alongside Mr Brown for the first time during Tony Blair's final statement to the Commons on the EU summit.

But there was already a whispering campaign against her. Labour MPs accused her of having repudiated remarks she made during the contest when she was openly appealing to the rank-and-file members who were disenchanted over the Iraq war.

"The dust has hardly settled on the tiara and she has already reneged on what she said in the campaign," said one bitter Labour MP.

Liberal Democrat and Conservative leaders also targeted Ms Harman as a potential weak link for the Brown government.

Her critics were asking how many other remarks made to win the election will have to be ditched. Ms Harman won many friends with an assured campaign that appealed to the party's rank and file on a range of left-of-centre issues. She frankly regretted voting for the Iraq war and called for action on the growing gap between rich and poor. She also called for the trade unions to have a "living link" with the Labour Party, questioned the role of city academies, and said the Trident nuclear weapon system should be reviewed.

Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat deputy leader, said she had damaged her credibility. "She made a whole series of statements when she was running for the deputy leadership that are wholly contrary to the policies set out by Gordon Brown." Francis Maude, the Tory party chairman, said: "On her first day, Harriet Harman is already making gaffes."