Opposition grows to new war on Iraq

Tony Blair faces a series of disruptions at this year's Labour conference as a rebellion grows against the prospect of war on Iraq.

Thousands of Labour activists are joining a mass demonstration in Trafalgar Square on the eve of the conference where they will complain they are being denied a chance to speak out at the party gathering.

Left-wingers - backed by some senior moderates - will also attempt to put down emergency motions relating to the Middle East crisis, although Labour chiefs made clear that any attempt to pass a hostile vote will be ruled out of order.

The moves follow mounting opposition among Labour MPs to the strong backing that the Prime Minister has given to President Bush. Senior backbenchers believe that several ministers will resign in protest if Britain goes to war to topple Saddam Hussein. A former Cabinet minister said the danger to Mr Blair is that the revolt had spread beyond Leftwingers, saying: "There is a very real danger of Cabinet resignations if the Prime Minister presses forward."

Mr Blair came under a barrage of questions about his plans yesterday, first at the weekly meeting of backbenchers and then at Question Time in the Commons.

The battle was focusing on whether the US would require a fresh UN mandate to carry out an attack. Government lawyers are understood to believe it would be lawful to act under the UN resolutions passed a decade ago after the Gulf War, which oblige Saddam to prove he is not making weapons of mass production-It has now emerged that the intelligence service has advised Mr Blair to press President Bush to seek a fresh UN mandate before going to war.

Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn said today: "The Prime Minister is obfuscating on whether he will follow international law or unilaterally join a bombardment of Iraq which would inevitably lead to terrible loss of lives."

Fellow Left-winger Diane Abbott claimed Mr Blair's recent statements suggested he would not inform or consult parliament before any attack. "That is simply appalling," she said.

In the Commons, Mr Blair promised to consult parliament but pointedly refused to say that he would do so before an attack. "If decisions are taken there will be ample opportunity for this House to be consulted but we cannot have a situation where Iraq continues to develop these weapons of mass destruction," he said.