Tony 'the Texan' faces critics

Tony Blair was ridiculed on TV last night as he defended his stance on Iraq.

Critics of the war called him 'the right honourable member for Texas North' and questioned his reasons for supporting military action.

They were among an audience of 27 people picked to quiz the Prime Minister on BBC2's Newsnight programme.

Most said he was failing to convince Britain of the need to go to war.

Helen Bradley, a secretary, asked: 'How do you feel, knowing that most of the country is not behind you?'

Mr Blair replied: 'I think more people would be convinced if there was a second UN resolution on this issue which is what I want to see - if, and only if, the weapons inspectors tell us they are not being allowed to do their job.

'I know it's difficult to say these things and I would be more popular perhaps if I wasn't saying them. But I honestly believe we are taking the right course.'

Ifty Khan, another audience member, asked: 'I would like to ask the Right Honourable member for Texas North, doesn't he think it strange that the evidence Colin Powell produced the other day has only just come to light?

'When he was giving all these locations for sites in northern Iraq, I asked myself why these locations have not been given to the weapons inspectors.'

Another told the Premier: 'The evidence Colin Powell presented was laughable. It was like Morecambe and Wise: The Warhead sketch.'

But Mr Blair responded: 'Well, it's about whether you want to talk about it at the level of satire or on a serious level. Sadly, I'm in the position where I have to talk about it seriously.'

He also refused to promise not to go to war without UN backing.

Meanwhile, Iraq ridiculed US Secretary of State Colin Powell's indictment of Saddam Hussein's banned weapons programmes, describing his report as 'unworthy'. However, it said scientists were being interviewed in private by UN inspectors for the first time.