Blair is eroding trust, claims Archbishop

The Archbishop of Canterbury risked a clash with Downing Street today after accusing Tony Blair of eroding public trust and manipulating the media over the war on Iraq.

In a coruscating attack, Dr Rowan Williams said the Prime Minister had forfeited his authority and risked bringing democracy into disrepute because of his style and conduct of government.

The Government had "habitually repressed criticism" and was in danger of losing its claim on "public obedience", Dr Williams said.

Referring to Mr Blair's repeated claims that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, he added that only an admission of error would reverse the recent " weakening of trust in the political system of our nation".

But Downing Street made clear today its irritation as it highlighted Dr Williams's reputation as an over-complicated thinker, describing his comments as "elliptical". Although publicly No 10 will wish to ignore the attack, senior sources have made clear their disdain for the Archbishop's intervention.

Labour MP Clive Soley today began the fightback by pointing out that although it was legitimate for clerics to express opinions, "lack of trust is not just recent, it is also in other Western democracies".

Mr Blair is a committed Christian and appointed Dr Williams last February in the hope he would offer a more liberal leadership of the Church of England on such issues as gay rights.

But the Archbishop was soon in conflict with the Government as he repeatedly underlined his doubts about the wisdom of the US-led war on Baghdad.

His wide-ranging critique of the Government, in a carefully-prepared university sermon at St Benet's Church, Cambridge, was seized on by the Conservatives. Liam Fox, co-chairman of the party, said: "It is clear that doubts about the integrity of Tony Blair and his Government have now reached all levels of society."