Tony Blair is meeting with advisers in the wake of cabinet minister Clare Short’s accusation that his handling of the Iraq crisis has been “reckless”.
**“If there is not UN authority for military action or the reconstruction of the country, I will not uphold a breach of international law or this undermining of the UN,” she said.
“I will resign from the government.”**
Former cabinet minister Jack Cunningham said Tony Blair was now facing the worst political difficulties of his leadership of the Labour Party.
The resignations and threats of resignations make that task far harder [winning the second UN resolution] and seriously undermine his [Blair] standing in the rest of the world.
These developments are all the more damaging because they add to the feverish atmosphere already gripping Westminster over the looming war.
They suggest the Labour rebellion, far from fading, is actually escalating."
The Conservatives today suffered their first resignation over Iraq with the surprise announcement from John Randall that he was quitting as he did not consider a case had been made for war.
He is the first opposition MP to have taken such a step on this issue, although there are some Conservative backbenchers - such as Kenneth Clarke and Douglas Hogg - who are vocally against a war under current circumstances.
Mr Randall, the MP for Uxbridge, said: "I wanted the freedom of the backbenches to be able to express my views about Iraq. I do not think at this stage military action is justified.
During the first Gulf war the then British PM, Margaret Thatcher was overthrown by her own party practically overnight well before the war she had so championed was even declared. Though the reasons she was ousted were ostensibly domestic (poll tax etc), it demonstrated that a British PM's survival is dependant on his their party. Clair Short is just one of many Blair cabinet ministers who are known to hate the idea of the war against Iraq according to American diktats, and they would most possibly resign on mass if it went ahead without legal i.e. UN sanction.
I was reading an article in London's Evening Standard today, and it was analysing the number of Labour MP's and their stance on this war. Of the 380 Labour MP's that took part in the recent parliamentary vote on 123 voted against the government. But although he got 257 Labour MP's to support him it was pointed out that 142 were government ministers etc, who were duty bound to support the government, and so in reality only 115 Labour backbenchers supported Blair's position. Hence a clear majority (52%) of his backbenchers did not support his Iraq position...which shows that Blair's party could well overthrow him if he dares to follow the US line and go to war unilaterally.
(This is not related, i admit - i wonder how many male:female MPs are in Blair’s cabinet; interestingly enough, the first Labour MP to so audibly make this resignation threat, is also a female… who said women can make no difference in politics).
If Blair decides to go ahead with invading Iraq, i hope it spells political suicide for him. Malik has pointed out an interesting aspect regarding the recent Labour vote. How far is Blair willing to stick his neck out in order to violate international laws?
Just one or two international laws, if i am not mistaken:
Article II(3): All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.
Article II(4): All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state…
[The International Court of Justice has described Article II(4) “as a peremptory norm of international law, from which states cannot derogate”].
That’s why you will never hear B&B discussing any international law in specific terms, that permits them to conduct a regime change, or to invade Iraq without UNSC backing. Even these two know that it simply does not exist.
Many Labour MP's have now openly started discussing the idea of removing Blair, especially if he joins the US in a war without UN authority. It seems that the crisis is getting to much for Blair as he looked all red eyed and bloated on tv last night, in fact he was sounding quite desperate and a man who is losing his authority fast. The latest outburst by Saddam's old buddy Don Rumsfeld, in effect saying that the US would go to war even without the UK stunned Downing st...this cartoon sums it up.