Blair under pressure for Iraq inquiry

The clamour for a full independent inquiry into the run-up to war with Iraq will hit a climax this week, with Tony Blair under the strongest pressure yet to concede.

Leading politicians from all three main parties united behind the demand for the Government to set-up a full-scale investigation headed by a senior judge. Former foreign secretary Robin Cook, who resigned from the Cabinet over the war, said it was time the

Government "came clean".

The Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman, Menzies Campbell, said the case for an independent inquiry was becoming "irresistible". He went on: "Only full disclosure can restore the reputation of this Government."

Tory shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram said: "We believe that an independent judicial inquiry is the most sensible way of establishing the facts."

The Prime Minister's critics are planning to go all out in the final days before MPs depart on Thursday for the summer recess. They fear the urgency could fade by the time the Commons returns in September.

Mr. Blair, however, continued to face massive problems beyond Westminster, with a potentially damaging rift with Washington and a slump in trust from the voters.

The latest opinion poll found 27 per cent believing the Prime Minister "knowingly misled the British people" in the decision to go to war. A further 39 per cent believe he misled, though not intentionally, with just 29 per cent saying he did not mislead. The survey, by ICM Research for the Daily Mirror, found

wide scepticism over the accuracy of the intelligence which helped take Britain to war.

However, there was some consolation for the Prime Minister - with 63 per cent saying their confidence in him has risen over his handling of the Iraq crisis against 35 per cent saying it had fallen.

The developing chasm in trust was acknowledged yesterday by the Leader of the Commons, Peter Hain. He conceded that politics now had "a crisis of confidence with the voter". And he went on: "For our Government and Tony Blair specifically as the head, this is a particular problem we're suffering."

Few publicly were prepared to go as far as ex-cabinet minister Clare Short, who suggested the time had come for Mr. Blair to step down. But the Westminster air was heavy with rumours of plots and suggestions that allies of Gordon Brown were mustering to back him for the leadership should a vacancy arise.

Mr. Blair and his allies were hoping that the departure of MPs after the traditionally torrid political month of July would give him some respite.

The Prime Minister will, however, fly into fresh difficulty when he travels to Washington on Thursday to meet President Bush.

He will seek to heal the extraordinary rift between the British and American intelligence service which has openendup over Iraq's alleged quest to develop nuclear weapons.