MPs rebel against Blair's backing for US attack on Iraq

Tony Blair faced an open rebellion from Labour MPs yesterday over his strong backing for President George Bush's plans to take military action against Iraq.

On the last day before the Commons' three-month summer break, Labour backbenchers demanded an emergency recall of Parliament before any British troops were deployed.

They tackled the Prime Minister when he addressed the private weekly meeting of Labour MPs and later ambushed him during Prime Minister's Questions.

Mr Blair promised that Parliament would be consulted, although this is unlikely to happen before British forces become involved. His official spokesman said: "There is a balance between the desire to consult and operational necessity."

The Government is expected to deny the Commons a formal vote on action in Iraq because an estimated 100 Labour MPs could rebel against it. Instead, the issue would be debated under a motion on whether to adjourn the House.

Alice Mahon, one of three MPs to raise the issue of Iraq at the Parliamentary Labour Party meeting, accused Mr Blair of "the usual stonewalling" and voiced disappointment with his response to queries on whether a new United Nations mandate would be needed for action against Saddam Hussein.

Diane Abbott, another backbench critic, told the Commons that Britain could be "at war with Iraq" before it returned from its summer recess. She asked Mr Blair whether he took seriously the call by Rowan Williams, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, for a "fresh and distinct" UN mandate.

The former defence minister Peter Kilfoyle led the calls for the Commons to be recalled before military action is taken. They were echoed by Tam Dalyell, the longest-serving MP.

Mr Blair replied: "Weapons of mass destruction are a serious threat. It is important we deal with it. How we deal with it is an open question."

He said whatever action was taken would have to be "legally justified", but refused to commit himself to securing a fresh UN mandate, claiming that President Saddam was in breach of virtually all of the 27 UN resolutions already passed on Iraq. "We have not taken the decision to commit British forces at all," he said. "So, when that decision is made, we will consider the best way to consult the House in the normal way and in the normal circumstances." His official spokesman said later that Mr Blair's use of the word "when" was a slip of the tongue, and that he had meant to say "if".

Iain Duncan Smith, the Conservative leader, challenged the Prime Minister over criticism by a Commons committee of Britain's preparations to deal with the terrorism threat. He said there had been a "lack of grip and direction" from the Government.

But Mr Blair dismissed the criticism, saying: "I don't accept that we have not made the most urgent preparations following 11 September."

In his end-of-term rallying call to Labour MPs, Mr Blair said the party needed to be "ferociously committed" to reforming the public services to make sure the extra money announced in last week's Comprehensive Spending Review was used well.

Despite the divisions that had been demonstrated on Tuesday by Mr Duncan Smith's reshuffle, he said the Tories would still pose a threat at the next general election.