Blair: Mid-East on brink of abyss

An increasingly worried Tony Blair, "appalled" by the mounting Middle East violence, today piled the pressure as never before on President Bush to take drastic action.

As the Prime Minister prepared to meet Mr Bush in Texas tomorrow, Downing Street warned the entire Middle East region was on the brink of the abyss - and stressed that only an "outside force" could unlock the conflict.

At the same time, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw made clear his belief that the US should upgrade its effort by sending Secretary of State Colin Powell to meet the combatants, something the Bush administration has so far steadfastly declined to do.

The open pressure marked a change of tactic by Mr Blair and a sign of his fears of the consequences if America continues to stay on the sidelines.

Until now, he has refused to criticise the Bush administration.