Mugabe regime 'has no legitimacy'

Mr Miliband said Zimbabwe must be free of tyrannical rule of the Mugabe

President Robert Mugabe cannot be the legitimate leader of Zimbabwe now that the opposition has pulled out of an election run-off, David Miliband said.

The foreign secretary said Mr Mugabe had used "violence and sadism" to repress voters, and he pledged to raise the issue at the UN Security Council.

Morgan Tsvangirai's withdrawal hands automatic victory to Mr Mugabe.

Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said Mr Mugabe should be investigated for "grotesque abuses of human rights".

Mr Miliband said he believed that Mr Tsvangirai was left with "no choice" but to pull out.

This is a criminal government, and should now be treated as such William Hague

"That's why I believe we have reached an absolutely critical moment in the drive by the people of Zimbabwe to rid themselves of the tyrannical rule of Robert Mugabe," he told BBC News.

"It's evident that the only people with democratic legitimacy are the opposition."

Mr Hague, also speaking to BBC News said: "This is a criminal government, and should now be treated as such."

He said a UN Commission of Inquiry should be set up to look into human rights abuses by the Zanu-PF regime, with a view to future action by the International Criminal Court.

'Aggressive action'

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said Britain should take "aggressive action" and force the regime from power.

Mr Clegg said: "Today's announcement must finally be the catalyst for aggressive action against Zimbabwe."

Speaking on Sunday Mr Tsvangirai, leader of the MDC, said there was no point running when elections would not be free and fair and "the outcome is determined by... Mugabe himself".

And he called on the global community to step in to prevent "genocide".

The decision to pull out was taken at a meeting of the leadership of the Movement for Democratic Change in Harare.

The MDC says at least 70 of its supporters have been killed in the run-up to the poll. President Robert Mugabe says the opposition is behind the violence.