Cook signals he may quit

Tony Blair is facing the resignation of two Cabinet ministers if Britain goes to war on Iraq without the sanction of the United Nations.

Clare Short and Leader of the Commons Robin Cook today signalled that if such a conflict comes, they will go.

The blow to the Prime Minister came as British military commanders in the Gulf warned that a decision to send 30,000 UK troops into action must be taken within the next few days. The RAF said it was ready with a huge strike force.

Mr Cook made his intention clear during a lengthy discussion of the crisis at today's Cabinet. According to one of those present, he "put down a marker post". Ms Short has already promised publicly that she will resign.

During a 45-minute debate inside No10, both ministers warned that war without approval from the United Nations could be open to serious legal challenge as a breach of international law.

Two hours later, Mr Cook dropped a series of barely veiled hints as he answered MPs questions on the Commons programme for next week.

Departing from the official government line, he said it was "inconceivable" that war could start without a vote in Parliament.

Saying that he was ready to recall MPs at any time, including this weekend, he said he attached "the highest importance" to a vote before any conflict began. Mr Blair only yesterday promised that a vote would be held before war but added the crucial rider that it would only take place if it could be done without losing the element of surprise and putting troops in peril.

Mr Cook warned that any move to war without a new resolution could be open to legal challenge, despite the Prime Minister's assurance that it was already legally covered. "In the nature of things" he said there would always be lawyers ready to challenge any proposition.

The Leader of the Commons also stressed that no decision had been taken beyond the pledge to seek a new UN resolution. Then, astonishingly, asked by an MP whether he would make time in the days ahead for personal resignation statements from Ministers, he replied: "I shall certainly consider the point in my timetabling of business for the week."

One observer said afterwards: "It was jokey - but you could have heard a pin drop."

The Prime Minister fended off an immediate clash, and possible resignations, by promising the Cabinet that they would meet again before any conflict was launched.

Ms Short and Mr Cook have all along been the two leading Cabinet doves, the most likely to depart if the crunch came. But the fear in Downing St is that the crisis could trigger a series of resignations right the way down the ministerial ladder as well as the biggest revolt by far among Labour MPs.

Chancellor Gordon Brown today insisted the Cabinet was united on "all the basic and fundamental facts" at this morning's meeting, including the need to disarm Saddam Hussein and the aim of seeking a second resolution.

He piled pressure on Ms Short, adding: "Clare Short has always said she wants to see the disarmament of Saddam Hussein and she does not believe he has complied." But he said Mr Blair had made clear it was possible to contemplate war without a second resolution in the event of an "unreasonable veto".

"That is a caveat he rightly entered," said the Chancellor.

Downing Street said that the Cabinet discussion had been "good natured" but made no attempt to deny that conflicting points of view had been voiced.

Instead, No10 sought to the turn the blame for diplomatic failure, now looking increasingly likely, on France, with the most venomous attack yet on President Jacques Chirac. The crucial drama in Downing Street was being played out amid anger, confusion and near chaos at the UN in New York.

The latest British attempt to win a new UN resolution, with a proposal for six "disarmament tests" for Saddam Hussein to meet to avoid conflict, won a cool reception.

France today rejected the move outright, as their Foreign Minister, Dominique de Villepin, declared that the proposed tests failed to address the real problem: that there was no need for war.

France and Russia earlier made clear they would still veto any resolution authorising war. They said the compromise proposal made no real difference and were privately hostile, with one diplomat accusing America and Britain of playing "sneaky games".

President Bush and Mr Blair, who discussed tactics in a phone call last night, were still struggling to gain the nine votes required from the 15-member Security Council for a resolution to pass.

Such a result would, Downing Street believes, give an element of UN authority to war, even if France, as threatened, then vetoes the move. Some reports suggested Britain and the US are within one vote of the nine threshold.

The diplomatic efforts came as the RAF said it is ready to launch its biggest strike force since the Suez crisis of 1956.

Military sources in the Gulf revealed today that almost 100 RAF aircraft, including a force of almost 70 fighters, are now in place for an attack on Iraq.

The US commander, General Tommy Franks, has made it clear that the campaign is now only a few days away and that the British are a vital part of his plans.