Short and churchmen warn against strike

Tony Blair's determination to support a US strike against Iraq was tempered last night by warnings from within his Cabinet and Britain's two most senior churchmen that military action would be both dangerous and morally wrong.

Clare Short, the International Development Secretary and the minister thought most likely to resign over the issue, said the question of how to tackle Saddam Hussein was "still open".

Ms Short has already said there were conditions under which she would not be able to support military action. She told Channel 4 News last night: "I think a lot of wise voices in the US are saying it would be enormously dangerous for the US to go alone."

Her remarks came as Dr George Carey, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster, raised their concerns over a US assault on Baghdad.