Mr Galloway, who has arrived in Baghdad at the end of a 9,300 mile (15,000 km) trip by double-decker bus from London, said he had come because the UK was deeply implicated in the action.

Mr Galloway places floral tribute at shelter hit during 1991 Gulf War

He told a rally attended by the Iraqi deputy prime minister, Tariq Aziz, he was ashamed of the role the British Government had played in sanctions.

The maverick backbencher said his views were those of a minority in Britain, but "not a small minority".

Mr Galloway, whose address was televised, said: "Britain and America are not going to go to the Security Council and say we killed a million children, we did not achieve our goals, and we want to stop now."

'US and UK want slave regime'

"This embargo will have to be ended in the Arab lands, and it is in the hands of the Arab people and their governments to end this embargo."

Mr Galloway said the US and Britain wanted to install a "slave government" in Baghdad.

The Glasgow Kelvin MP has been accompanied by a group of human rights campaigners on a journey which has taken the converted Routemaster through 11 countries in Europe and North Africa.

For the final leg from Amman to Baghdad, they were joined by activists from France, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan.

The bus is to be left behind in Baghdad as a symbol of the international support claimed by Mr Galloway.

He told his audience: "We are here because we heard the call of Iraq: the call of her pain, yes; but the call of her dignity and her honour even more.

'Deeply ashamed'

"Iraq has millions of friends all over the world who are doing everything they can to come to your rescue, and who ask you to keep your unity and the dignity you have shown, for it is an inspiration to the world."

Mr Galloway said he was proud of his country but added: "We are deeply ashamed of the role our governments and our countries and their armed forces have played this last decade in the aggression against Iraq.

"There are two things you can do when you are ashamed: You can hang down your head, or you can stand up and fight against your government's policy. "

Iraq has been the subject of UN sanctions since 1990 when it invaded Kuwait.

The invasion was rolled back after seven months by a US-led international force and the sanctions were imposed to ensure Baghdad was unable to rebuild its military apparatus.

The UN says the sanctions will not be lifted until UN arms inspectors are convinced Iraq no longer has the capability to make weapons of mass destruction.