Cabinet backs Blair on Iraq

PM silences critics with UN pledge

Tony Blair quelled a cabinet revolt over Iraq yesterday by promising his ministers he would pursue fully a United Nations solution to the crisis before resorting to military action.

At the Cabinet's first meeting for two months, the Prime Minister stressed his priority was to secure the widest possible support for a new UN resolution, due to be published tomorrow, allowing an "intrusive" regime of weapons inspections in Iraq.

But Mr Blair told his ministers that tough action must be taken against Saddam Hussein. He said: "The truth is the policy of containment has not worked. He [President Saddam] has been able to make progress in his weapons of mass destruction programme and has to be stopped."

Several cabinet ministers stressed the need to give the Middle East peace process a higher profile in order to allay fears in the Arab world –- a point accepted by Mr Blair.

The Cabinet's debate on Iraq, due to last an hour, lasted for more than an hour and a half. Downing Street described it as "a serious and hard-headed discussion".

Official sources insisted that no minister spoke out against military action if the UN process failed to resolve the crisis. Clare Short, the Secretary of State for International Development, who publicly opposed a "second Gulf War" on Sunday, said: "We had a good discussion. We all agreed."

Although Mr Blair's allies are confident of avoiding resignations over Iraq, one minister said: "We have not reached crunch time – yet."

Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, said after the meeting that it would be "far better" for the Iraq crisis to be resolved peacefully, but he warned that military action might be needed.

Mr Blair outlined to his ministers the contents of the 50-page dossier on the threat from Iraq, to be published this morning, which he said showed that the "real and serious problem" of Iraq's weapons programme had grown worse in since 1998.

Mr Blair will stress his commitment to the "UN route" in an attempt to defuse a Labour rebellion in today's emergency debate on Iraq in the Commons. However, several Labour MPs warned that remarks by President George Bush showed he was determined to declare war. Mr Bush said: "If the UN will not deal with Saddam Hussein, the US and our friends will."

Writing in The Independent today, Tam Dalyell, the longest-serving MP, said: "It seems to me that Bush and Blair are doing everything they can to avoid peace. That is why I am in favour of regime change – in No 10 Downing Street."

Mr Blair will also face tough questions on Iraq at a meeting of Labour's national executive committee today. But Labour chiefs have blocked a vote on a motion opposing military action tabled by the left-winger Mark Seddon. Mr Seddon said: "It makes a charade of democracy. The Baathist party [in Iraq] operates on similar principles."

The Prime Minister was irritated by criticism at the weekend from Robin Cook, the Leader of the Commons, who renewed his call for a Commons vote on military action. Although Mr Blair's spokesman said ministers would not be "gagged", one cabinet minister said: "Robin is playing his usual games. People are getting fed up with it." Mr Blair is more tolerant of criticism by Ms Short, the other leading cabinet "dove", whom he met for a "clear the air" session before yesterday's meeting.