- A defiant Tony Blair said yesterday that he would not
change course over Iraq and rejected the growing demands by Labour MPs
for him to distance himself from President George Bush.
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- In his first interview since the crisis over the mistreatment
of Iraqi prisoners caused speculation that he might stand down, the beleaguered
Prime Minister told The Independent he was "frustrated" that
Iraq was overshadowing what he called the Government's significant achievements
on the economy, jobs and public services. He slapped down calls for him
to "put some light" between Britain and the US, insisting that
it would be exactly the wrong time to do so.
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- He dismissed "this idea that at the time of maximum
difficulty you start messing around your main ally", adding: "I
am afraid that is not what we are going to do.
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- "The most important thing is that we work with our
coalition partners and sort it out, get the security situation right, so
the Iraqis themselves are capable of doing the security, which is what
they want to do. If we succeed in that, that is a huge bonus for the security
not just of the region but of the world."
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- Mr Blair also rejected pressure from Labour MPs for him
to show tangible gains from his close relationship with President Bush.
He said that he would not "get into the business of seeing the relationship
with America as a list of gains you have made. That is not the way I look
at it."
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- He insisted the US was still committed to the "road
map" for the Middle East peace process and raised the prospect of
an American-backed aid plan for Africa being approved when Britain holds
the chairmanship of the G8 nations next year.
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- The Prime Minister admitted the present crisis meant
the Government needed to restate the case for its actions from first principles,
a point pressed on him by several ministers at yesterday's meeting of the
Cabinet. "We have got to deal with it," he said. "We have
got to make sure the country ends up a better country as a result of removing
Saddam. You have always got to bring people back to the basic choice.
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- "I just wish the Iraqi voices were heard more. I
think people misunderstand what the Iraqis actually say to us. Of course
they want the coalition forces to leave when it is right to do so, but
they do not want the country to be left at the mercy of religious fanatics,
former Saddam loyalists or terrorists. What they want is the legitimate
transfer of sovereignty after 30 June, which we will do."
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- The Prime Minister said that if Iraqis were asked whether
they wanted Saddam to return to power, "they would think you had gone
crazy". He went on: "The most important thing is that we work
with our coalition partners and sort it out, get the security situation
in the right place so that the Iraqis themselves are capable of doing the
security.
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- "I know we are going through a difficult time. People
should just take a step back and look at the fundamentals. Despite the
appalling stuff about prisoner abuse, we are trying with the majority of
the Iraqi people to get the country on its feet. The people who are attacking
coalition forces and assassinating construction and aid workers are trying
to stop us. We have just got to make sure we prevail and succeed. It is
in the interests of the world that we do. The alternative to that is not
one we should contemplate." But the Prime Minister admitted the problems
in Iraq were crowding out the domestic political agenda in the run up to
the 10 June European and local elections.
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- "It is frustrating, but it is understandable. It
is politics," he said. He dismissed speculation that he might stand
down as "froth" and said nothing had changed since he expressed
his desire to serve a full third term as if Labour wins the next general
election. "I think I should get on with the job. I enjoy doing it."
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- During a visit to the West Midlands, Mr Blair said he
was happy to escape the Westminster bubble. "Every time you come out
and meet people in the real world and see what their problems are, you
realise how much you can do to deal with them and why it is right to carry
on," he said.
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- The first half of Mr Blair's day was spent in the hothouse
of Downing Street. His morning was dominated by routine meetings with his
aides as he prepared for the Cabinet's weekly session, where there was
a brief discussion on Iraq. The main business was a presentation by David
Blunkett of his draft five-year plan for the Home Office.
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- After Cabinet, Mr Blair was briefed by No 10 and Home
Office officials about anti-social behaviour, knowing it would be on the
agenda when he visited the West Midlands. A hasty bit of lunch was followed
by a drive to RAF Northolt and Mr Blair was flown to Coventry Airport.
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- The Prime Minister started at the plush conference room
at Jaguar's Browns Lane plant in Coventry, and met 60 employers, trade
unionists and young people, divided into six groups, who had been discussing
skills training as part of Labour's "Big Conversation" listening
exercise to influence the party's election manifesto.
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- Mr Blair worked the room, joining in the conversation
at each table and greeting the participants with his usual bonhomie. "How
you doing?" and "What do you reckon?" he asked.
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- Although Labour officials deny the people were hand-picked,
they were on their best behaviour. "How are you?" asked one well-wisher
sympathetically. "I am fine," Mr Blair said. No one mentioned
the war.
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- © 2004 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=521085
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