British soldiers facing up to 10 years in Iraq

British troops may have to stay in Iraq for 10 years, it emerged today as Tony Blair prepared for a backlash from Labour MPs over his backing for George Bush.

On his first day back after Easter, the Prime Minister was making a statement to Parliament about his visit to Washington at the weekend. But Labour backbenchers were lining up to attack him for backing President Bush over Israeli plans to keep some Jewish settlements in occupied territories.

Brigadier Nick Carter, commanding officer of 8,000 British forces in Basra and nearby, warned that Iraqi forces would not be capable of maintaining security on their own after the 30 June handover date. "We are in cloud cuckoo land if we think we are going to create overnight a police force that is accountable to the population," he said.

"Certainly for a number of years to come, Western forces are going to have to be there. I have to be looking two, three, 10 years out."

The Defence Ministry today pointed out that Brigadier Carter's remarks merely echoed Mr Blair's statements that Britain would stay in Iraq "to get the job done", however long it took.

Mr Blair's difficulties were underlined when the new Spanish prime minister announced he will withdraw troops from Iraq within the next month. José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero made clear that he did not believe British and American claims about an enhanced role for the United Nations in Iraq.

Mr Blair is set to warn MPs that British forces should expect more attacks ahead of the planned handover date, but will be told by backbenchers they feel betrayed in voting for the war.