Defiant ... Mr Blair, suffering a
heavy cold, still proved he is in charge
Posted on 03/12/2003 7:33:58 PM PST by Pokey78
TONY Blair yesterday stamped on wriggling anti-war worm Jacques Chirac.
The PM blasted the French president’s threat to veto a new UN resolution on Iraq.
Mr Blair also defied Labour rebels — and signalled he is ready to order British troops into battle against Iraq.
In a storming Commons performance, he insisted he is still working “flat out” for peaceful disarmament.
But he also issued a personal challenge to war wobblers, saying: “Why don’t we just work out the right thing to do — and do it.”
Britain was last night hoping to win support from a wobbling UN Security Council for a six-point showdown with Saddam.
This would force him to make a public admission that he has weapons of mass slaughter — and promise to scrap them.
It would also force him to hand over thousands of litres of anthrax and the unmanned aircraft which can spray deadly nerve gas.
But American and British forces were bracing themselves for war in days as hopes of getting a new UN resolution on taking action began to fade.
The last chance of finding a peaceful end to the crisis was wrecked by France who insist that — whatever the circumstances — it WILL use its veto.
Britain and the US were last night still determined to try for the nine votes they need to secure the UN mandate. But they may decide they are justified in taking action without the new resolution.
Mexico and Chile, facing protests at home, have already decided it is not worth risking further unpopularity from voters if France is determined to overturn their vote anyway.
In the Commons, Mr Blair could not conceal his anger at French President Jacques Chirac’s veto threat.
He told MPs: “We can’t have a position where one country is saying that whatever the circumstances, they will veto the resolution.”
An American defence insider said: “If there is no new resolution, it makes further delay rather pointless.
“We have hundreds of thousands of troops out there in the heat.”
The Prime Minister was boosted in the Commons by a dramatic change of mood in Labour ranks — following a ferocious lecture to rebel MPs.
Whips silenced hecklers and quelled calls from the loony left to sack Mr Blair. In fighting mood, the PM insisted Britain would not leave America to take on Saddam alone.
“Of course the US could go alone and, of course, this country should not take military action unless it is in our interests to do so,” he said.
“It is the British national interest that must be upheld at all times.
“But the reason why I believe it is important that we hold firm to the course we have set out is because what is at stake here isn’t whether the US goes alone or not.
“It is whether the international community is prepared to back up the clear instruction it gave to Saddam Hussein with the necessary action.
“That is why I am determined we hold firm to the course we have set out.”
Threats of a leadership coup evaporated after Party chiefs lashed the loony left for blatant “disloyalty”.
Many Labour MPs have been shaken by the treachery of Cabinet minister Clare Short who branded the PM “reckless” and threatened to resign.
But they were even more stunned by headlines warning that the Prime Minister who has led them to two stunning election victories could be deposed because of Saddam Hussein.
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and his deputy, Mike O’Brien, tore into the rebels at a meeting of Labour MPs at Westminster.
They attacked Left-wing hard-liners for trying to set up a special conference to challenge Mr Blair’s leadership.
“There is a big difference between dissent and outright disloyalty,” said Mr O’Brien.
“Over the weekend it got to the point of disloyalty.
“The meeting made it clear the behaviour of some people in calling for a special conference was unreasonable.
“Today was the day the tide turned. The party is rallying behind Tony Blair.”
In a swipe at Clare Short’s threat to quit, he said: “Some people have overplayed their hand. That has been the very strong reaction in the Party.”
Mr O’Brien also tore into “Le Worm” Chirac for trying to sabotage the UN.
“When we get President Chirac saying in any circumstances France will say ‘no’, that is unreasonable,” he said.
The PM said: “This is easily the best part of my day.”
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