Britain abandons UN route

Britain and the United States this afternoon formally abandoned their attempt to win UN agreement on Iraq - and opened the way to war.

President George Bush is to address the American people and the world, at 8pm tonight, 1am UK time. The White House said he would give Saddam Hussein an ultimatum-to flee Iraq or be forced from power. Tony Blair immediately faced his first Cabinet casualty.

Within minutes of the decision to give up diplomacy, Robin Cook headed to Downing Street, slipping in by a back door in order to resign as Leader of the Commons ahead of an emergency Cabinet meeting which began at 4pm. The news that the diplomatic effort was over was broken by the US and British ambassadors at the UN, with Spain, announcing that the resolution tabled by the three was now withdrawn.

Britain's ambassador Sir Jeremy Greenstock said that the three countries "reserved their right to take their own steps to secure the disarmament of Iraq".

The move to war became a certainty after France and Russia refused yet again to back any new UN resolution. President Bush and Mr Blair held a 20-minute phone call at lunch and agreed the time for talk was over.

UN weapons inspectors are preparing to evacuate Iraq today after being warned to do so by the US. The Foreign Office told any remaining British civilians in Kuwait to "leave urgently".

Meanwhile, Attorney General Lord Goldsmith declared that war without a new UN resolution would be legal.