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Blair suffers big parliament revolt

Epimenedes | 26.02.2003 20:13

LONDON (Reuters) - Nearly 200 members of parliament have defied Prime Minister Tony Blair's hawkish Iraq stance, saying that the case for war has not been proven


LONDON (Reuters) - Nearly 200 members of parliament have defied Prime Minister Tony Blair's hawkish Iraq stance, saying that the case for war has not been proven.


The government put forward a motion asking parliament for backing for U.N. efforts to disarm Iraq. It did not mention the possibility of war which could follow within weeks.


But 199 MPs backed an amendment to that motion which stated the case for war is as yet unproven. Embarrassingly for Blair, many of them came from the Labour Party, making it almost certainly the biggest internal rebellion he has faced in nearly six years in power.


Blair's huge parliamentary majority and the support of most Conservatives ensured he won the vote by 393 to 199.


But the scale of the revolt will add to the impression of a leader standing dangerously out on a limb.

Epimenedes
- Homepage: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/030226/80/du66k.html

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Display the following 4 comments

  1. out of touch — alvin stardust
  2. The Great Iraq Debate - NOT! — Og
  3. the list — eb
  4. Listof MPs — rollcall for may elections