Blair attacks 'naive' Labour critics

Tony Blair returned from his Texas summit today prepared to face down the dissidents and doubters in the Labour Party and tell them Saddam Hussein must be dealt with.

On the flight back to Britain after talks with President Bush, he made it clear he is no mood to compromise, accusing some of his critics of being "utterly naive".

The Prime Minister will face his MPs at a meeting of the full Parliamentary Labour Party in two days after Parliament returns.

But he said that his only concession will be a renewed promise not to act over hastily, retaining the right to decide whether and when Britain should join military action to topple the Iraqi regime.

"We are not at the point of decision but we are at the point of saying this is a real issue: we cannot duck it," Mr Blair said.

"Very few people in the Parliamentary Labour Party defend Saddam - how could they - or don't agree that weapons of mass destruction are an issue and that it's important to stop him developing them. The issue is how."

Mr Blair's tough line followed his speech yesterday in Texas in which he said that he would back the US in dealing with Saddam, declaring: "If necessary the action could be military and again, if necessary and justified, it should involve regime change."

Despite the firm line, Mr Blair, mindful of the concern that has already surfaced in his Cabinet, took unusual care to clear his speech. Both Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and - more unusually - Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott - were shown a copy in advance. The Prime Minister was loudly applauded by a predominantly Right-wing American audience including the President's father, George Bush Senior. But he fuelled the anger of some of his critics back home, with former minister Peter Kilfoyle accusing him of "Texan gung-ho".

As he headed back to Britain the Prime Minister countered with an attack on some of the more extreme of his critics for suggesting that there was as yet little hard evidence that Saddam had developed chemical, biological or nuclear weapons with the capacity to deliver them. "If that is their argument, they are 100 per cent wrong," the Prime Minister said. However the Prime Minister in Texas declared, as President Bush has done, that Saddam must be ready to admit "anyone, any place, any time", a demand the Iraqi regime has refused and looks set to continue to refuse. Mr Blair was today taking shuttle diplomacy to a new and breakneck pace with a day trip to Prague.

No sooner had had he touched down in Britain, than he was set to jet off again to the Czech Republic.

Aides said the trip was long-arranged but critics are sure to seize on the visit to press claims he prefers foreign travel to sorting out problems at home.

Mr Blair was due home again tonight, in time for the Queen Mother's funeral tomorrow.

Blair needs to learn a lesson about trust