Tories ordered not to vote after debate

The Tories will try to exploit Labour's divisions over Iraq by abstaining at the end of next week's Commons emergency debate on the crisis.

The Conservative leader, Iain Duncan Smith, who has given his strong backing to military action against Saddam Hussein's regime, will order Tory MPs not to vote when rebel Labour MPs force a division after the 11-hour debate a week today.

Although the Commons will debate a technical motion for the House to adjourn rather than one about Iraq, Labour backbenchers plan to vote against it to "send a message" to Tony Blair that they are unhappy with his staunch support for President George Bush's plans for military action.

A spokesman for the Tory leader said he felt it would be a "token gesture" for the Labour rebels to vote on a technical motion when dealing with such an important issue.

Tory MPs will be under a three-line whip to attend the Commons debate unless they are overseas. Labour is expected to impose only a one-line whip in the hope of playing down the importance of the planned rebellion.

Mr Blair's aides hope the revolt will be limited to the "usual suspects" who would oppose action against Iraq under any circumstances. They pointed out that 35 Labour MPs rebelled in a similar vote in 1990 after Iraq invaded Kuwait.

But there are fears that some wavering MPs may vote against the Government because they have not yet been convinced by Mr Blair's arguments on the Iraqi threat. David Winnick, MP for Walsall North, said he had been persuaded but the "great challenge" facing Mr Blair was to win round the many Labour colleagues who were in the "don't know" camp.

Downing Street hopes the Labour doubters will be convinced by the Government's dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, published three hours before Tuesday's Commons debate starts. The Cabinet sees it on Monday.

Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, pledged his support for Mr Blair's strategy yesterday. He told a press conference: "The world cannot stand by as someone either develops nuclear, chemical and biological weapons or in particular flouts the international community and the laws and regulations and decisions that have been made by the international community over a period of 10 years. There is absolutely no doubting my determination and the rest of the Government also, that we must take action where action is necessary."