Blair challenge threat

Blair challenge threat

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A number of Labour MPs are threatening to challenge Tony Blair's leadership should he take the country to war without the backing of the United Nations.

The MPs say they will demand an emergency party conference to discuss his position.

Tribune editor Mark Seddon, a left-wing member of Labour's National Executive Committee, said the NEC could give a sympathetic hearing to a request for a special conference should war go ahead without a second UN resolution.

But John Reid, Labour's chairman, dismissed the prospect, predicting that it would instead be heavily defeated by the NEC, and was just the work of a few "usual suspects".

I don't think it is possible to exaggerate the degree of concern about the illegality of what is proposed

Tam Dalyell

However, Mr Seddon was not deterred. He insisted: "All the way through, Tony Blair has taken the party with him on this promise of the UN route.

"To risk breaking international law, to risk the future of the UN, and breaking the party too ... would probably mean that there would be support [for a conference] from a good number of MPs and trade unionists."

His stance was supported by veteran Labour MP Tam Dalyell, who told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "As soon as it becomes clear that the UN is disregarded, yes, certainly a letter will go out to our colleagues asking for a special conference of the Labour Party.

"I don't think it is possible to exaggerate the degree of concern about the illegality of what is proposed," said the Father of the House and MP for Linlithgow, also an avid critic of Mr Blair.

"We can certainly ask for it [a conference] ... there are many constituency Labour parties who, like the Linlithgow constituency party, will put forward a resolution that if there is no UN mandate and if there is not a vote in the Commons before the commitment of British troops, then we ask the prime minister to consider his position as leader of the party."

The last thing we need at the moment is discussion and feverish speculation about the leadership of the party

Chris Smith

Labour's Hilton Dawson stood up in the Commons to urge Mr Blair to consider his position or risk bringing the Labour party "to its knees" over Iraq.

He warned there was "no case for war with or without the United Nations" at this stage and taking military action would be a "colossal mistake".

Mr Dawson praised Clare Short, who threatens to quit if Britain goes to war without international backing, arguing there was "no finer member" of the government.

The outspoken attacks highlight the divisions within Labour over Mr Blair's support for military action against Saddam Hussein's regime.

For there to be a challenge to Mr Blair's leadership some 20% of Labour MPs - about 83 - are needed to back it.

For the challenge to progress further, a card vote would be held at the party's annual conference to decide whether a leadership election should be held.

'Say no'

Former Labour Culture Secretary Chris Smith, who headed a rebellion of 121 Labour backbenchers opposed to the government's position, described talk of a challenge to Mr Blair's leadership as unwelcome.

But he stressed there could be a further Parliamentary rebellion and ministerial resignations if the prime minister went ahead with military action without the UN's blessing.

Why don't we spend our time discussing the really important issue, which is not getting rid of Tony Blair

John Reid

"The last thing we need at the moment is discussion and feverish speculation about the leadership of the party and special conferences and so on," he told Today.

"I hope that even at this last stage he [Mr Blair] could have the courage and the statesmanship to say 'no, we are not going to go ahead with this', even if the Americans decide to do so."

The claims cut no sway for Dr Reid, who said: "Why don't we spend our time discussing in the party what is the really important issue, which is not getting rid of Tony Blair, it is getting rid of the weapons of mass destruction of Saddam Hussein.

"This is not typical of the Labour Party, I can assure you ... the vast majority of the party want to get action through the UN, and that is precisely what Tony is doing," he told Today.

But John McDonnell, chairman of the Socialist Campaign Group for Labour MPs, argued that Mr Blair must show he is listening to the party if he does not want to face a challenge.