42% want our troops to quit Iraq

Nearly half of voters want British troops to pull out of Iraq, a new poll showed today as yet another country announced it was withdrawing from the international coalition in the country.

The bloodiest month since the US-led invasion has seen a collapse in support for Tony Blair's tough stand on the issue, the ICM survey found.

It came as Honduras became the latest nation to pledge a pull-out of its 370 soldiers amid rising violence and public opposition to America's bypassing of the UN.

George Bush made clear his anger at Spain's decision to withdraw its 1,300 troops from Iraq in a terse five-minute phone call to the country's Prime Minister. The President told José Œuis Rodriguez Zapatero of his regret at the "abrupt Spanish action" and warned him against giving "false comfort to terrorists".

But in Britain the ICM poll showed the number of people wanting a troop pull-out was now its highest ever at 42 per cent. Some 27 per cent said soldiers should be withdrawn immediately, while a further 15 per cent said they should leave within six months.

Backing for the war slumped from 53 per cent in January to just 41 per cent today, while Mr Blair's personal ratings remained at minus 20 points.