A SCOTTISH MP last night quit the government in protest at Tony Blair's handling of the Middle East crisis, amid warnings from ministers that the Prime Minister's continuing support for American foreign policy could cost him his job.
Jim Sheridan, Labour MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, became the first to resign from a government post over the war.
While he said he backed Mr Blair's domestic agenda, Mr Sheridan urged him to "reconsider his position" over his pro-American foreign policy.
He said: "I can no longer support the government's position of calling for restraint on both sides of the current conflict in Lebanon whilst, in my view, facilitating the refuelling of aircraft in our country that are carrying real weapons of mass destruction." Mr Sheridan, who was given the junior ministerial post in November, added: "I am a friend of the Prime Minister ... sometimes it takes a friend to say that what you are doing is wrong.
"I genuinely believe that our government's domestic agenda has transformed the lives of millions of citizens, but I cannot say that about our foreign policy and that is what really upsets me."
Mr Blair's foreign policy failed to reflect "core Labour values or, indeed, the country", he said.
While Mr Sheridan made it clear he had no regrets over backing the Iraq war, he said the current crisis was different and Israel's strategy would backfire.
"If you bomb your way to a peace settlement, then all you are doing is generating another round of potential terrorists.
"The reason I am resigning is the current conflict in the Middle East and once again the Palestinian situation has been put on the back burner," he added.
His resignation came as ministers furious at Mr Blair's handling of the crisis said they would push for an emergency recall of parliament in a manoeuvre they hoped would trigger the Prime Minister's downfall.
More than 150 MPs have urged Jack Straw, the Commons leader, to ask the Speaker to summon politicians back from their 76-day break as diplomatic calls at the United Nations stalled and Israel stepped up its offensive in Lebanon.
A senior ministerial source said ministers outraged at the Prime Minister's reticence to call for a ceasefire were backing the recall, which was likely to come in the first week of September. "The mood in the party and among the ministers is that this could cost Blair his job."
Mr Straw, who was demoted from foreign secretary in the May reshuffle, could use the crisis to exact revenge and influence events, the source added, comparing such a move to the late Robin Cook's resignation from the front bench over the Iraq war.
"Jack is a cautious guy, but he could be looking for his Robin Cook moment, except this time it would not lead to his resignation but someone else's - the Prime Minister's."
The source added that Britain's failure to call for a ceasefire or to halt US planes carrying bombs to Israel refuelling at Prestwick had triggered a flurry of letters from constituents to many MPs.
In a strongly worded letter to Mr Straw, MPs also said the use of Prestwick airport "has given the impression that the UK has assumed a tacitly active and less than impartial role".
While many Labour MPs, the Liberal Democrats, Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru had backed the recall, the Conservatives refused to give their immediate support.
David Cameron, the Tory leader, has not yet signed the motion. A spokeswoman for the party said the leadership wanted to see how diplomatic talks progressed before deciding.
MPs said Mr Sheridan's resignation underscored the need for a recall. Michael Moore, the Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman, said it showed the dispute raging in the senior ranks of the Labour party.
Angus Robertson, the SNP's foreign affairs spokesman, said the MP should be applauded for his decision to resign. "This is the first major crack in the Labour line over the conflict in Lebanon. He was right to be angry over the use of Scottish airports to transfer weapons of death from the United States to Israel," he said.
Earlier, Kim Howells, the Middle East minister, denied the need for a recall. "I'm not sure what a recall of parliament would do to alter the situation," he said.
Web links
- CIA World Factbook - Lebanon
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/le.html - Lebanon Daily Star
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/
Last updated: 09-Aug-06 00:34 BST
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