Stand up to Bush, Prescott warns PM

Cabinet unease at Tony Blair's closeness to George Bush burst into the open today when John Prescott warned that the Prime Minister risked being "condemned" if he failed to influence US foreign policy.

The Deputy Prime Minister gave a strong hint he had told Mr Blair of widespread anger in the Labour Party at Britain's joint backing with America of Israeli policy.

"You can't achieve anything without America, but the gamble is that if you don't get what you want, then you get condemned in the short run and the long run," Mr Prescott said.

Asked if the Prime Minister should have publicly criticised US support for Israel in recent weeks, he replied in an interview: "I certainly defend his right as leader to make a judgment and I will also defend my right to tell him what I think about it." Mr Prescott's remarks will resurrect speculation that ministers are unhappy with the Mr Blair's continued "shoulder to shoulder" support for President Bush over both Iraq and the Middle East.

They came as Ken Livingstone called for a full withdrawal of British troops from Iraq because it was "turning into something more unpleasant than anything since the war in Vietnam". Mr Livingstone's comments underlined deep worries that his campaign for reelection as Mayor of London risks being torpedoed by his close links to Mr Blair and his Iraq policy.

Former Tory premier John Major today warned Mr Blair to guard against the "assassin's knife" as Labour MPs worried about his leadership. Mr Major, who faced repeated assaults on his leadership from within his own party, said the current disquiet was "the usual alliance of the disappointed and the never appointed". He said the "whispering campaign" against Mr Blair was "the equivalent of the assassin's knife, only slightly less clear cut and more dishonourable".

Gordon Brown moved last night to dampen down speculation that Mr Blair would be forced to step down over the Iraq crisis.

In an attempt to ease Labour MPs' fears over his closeness to the White House, senior party strategists will this summer rebuild links with Mr Bush's opponent John Kerry.

Senior figures will visit America to get closer to the Democrats and their campaign to unseat Mr Bush in November's elections. Pat McFadden, a political director at Downing Street, will join Cabinet Office minister Douglas Alexander at next month's Democratic presidential convention.