DUNCAN SMITH PLEDGES PARTY'S SUPPORT FOR BLAIR

DailyRecord ^ | Mar 15 2003 | staff

[fight_truth_decay]

Iain Duncan Smith has pledged not to play "political games" over the Iraq crisis.

He says he will offer his party's support to Tony Blair as he "does the right thing".

But he made clear he reserved the right to criticise the Prime Minister's conduct of any war, warning him that there would be "no blank cheques".

Dealing with Saddam was in the interests of the British people and of international peace and security, which must take precedence over party political interests, said Mr Duncan Smith.

In an emergency address to the Conservatives' spring conference in Harrogate, Mr Duncan Smith said the party faced a "dilemma" over whether to back a Government they believed to be failing the country over issues like public services and tax.

But he added: "When the Prime Minister does something that is right, when he does something that I believe will benefit the British people and help bring peace to this part of the region, I believe, notwithstanding our other concerns, it is in the British interest for us to support him if he does what is right for Britain.

"That is why I have taken the course that I have. It is not giving him a blank cheque, it is not saying 'Do as you will'. It is saying 'Do the right thing and if you do the right thing, then we will do the right thing by you and give you that support'."

He won loud applause from his 1,000-strong audience as he said: "If people want me to play political games with this, I say I'm sorry I will not do it.

"I will not do it because (the British people's) interests matter more than the short-term interests of any single political party."

[fight_truth_decay]

More news: SCOTLAND'S cavalry will fly the Lion Rampant as they roll into battle in Iraq.

The honour of carrying the nation's ancient emblem is given by the Queen to the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

And the tank troops of Scotland's most senior regiment were proud to show the colours yesterday as they trained in the Kuwaiti desert for the looming war against Saddam Hussein.

[stands2reason]

Hooray for Scotland!!!

[Celtjew Libertarian]

Blair may be a Tory before this is over... Odds are against it, but you never know....

[ewing]

Job well done for the Tories!

[Ligeia]

Tom Daschle, take note.

[ChicagoRepublican]

Blair will be the leader of the Labour Party when this over, and he will have a huge stranglehold. No one seems to remember that Blair has defeated the far left of his party MULTIPLE times in the past, first to get in charge of it, and then to win elections. Blair is a masterful politician and no one should understimate him.

[Mr.Clark]

This bs about Blair's government falling is just a leftist smokescreen.

[ken5050]

It'd be nice if Labour promised to do the same thing...

FYI, in today's NY Times..there's a great pic of thousands of British troops being addressed by a USMC general somewhere in Kuwait. ( It may be on the website) I was just wondering what language they used? (g)

[swheats]

If Daschle could just get Hillary to make her husband SHUT UP.

[Ligeia]

Oh, that'll be the day! :^)

[ewing]

Hooray for Soctland indeed..

[katana]

If they flew the current flag of Scotland (blue cross on a white background) it might confuse the Iraqis into thinking their French friends have arrived. Lion Rampant is part of my (Scottish) family crest so I guess it will do nicely.

[Consort]

[ewing]

Got your back..

[ewing]

Me too, I got cold chills.

[George W. Bush]

Alert: Calvinists massing for attack.

[katnip]

LOL

[Consort]