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Commons Ovation For
Robin Cook As He
Quits Cabinet & Rounds
On Blair & United States

By Michael White
Political Editor
The Guardian
March 18, 2003
8-7-5
 
Robin Cook last night let rip months of frustration with Tony Blair's Iraq policy when he used his cabinet resignation speech to warn colleagues that "history will be astonished at the diplomatic miscalculations" which now look certain to bring war in a matter of days.
 
In a sustained demolition job on the prime minister's strategy, which earned him a rare standing ovation from anti-war MPs, the ex-leader of the house praised the absent Mr Blair's "heroic efforts" and said he wants no part in attempts to overthrow him.
 
But, in urging the Commons to assert its authority by voting tonight to block British involvement in a war "that has neither international authority nor domestic support", Mr Cook challenged US motives - and warned that "we delude ourselves about the degree of international hostility to military action" if Britain simply blames the threatened French veto at the UN.
 
The international development secretary, Clare Short, announced that she would be "reflecting overnight" on whether to join Mr Cook on the rebellious Labour backbenches where he spoke last night for the first time in 23 years. However, sources indicated that she had made up her mind to stay in office.
 
Mr Cook slipped into No 10 to see Mr Blair before yesterday's emergency cabinet meeting which followed the announcement that Britain and the US had formally abandoned the search for UN support.
 
He later left by a side door, £70,000 a year poorer, to issue a statement regretting Anglo-US isolation in the war against terrorism and Mr Blair's isolation from other leftwing parties in Europe.
 
Mr Cook also took issue with the prime minister's jibe, in his letter of thanks for years of hard work and friendship, that as foreign secretary he had backed the war in Kosovo without a UN vote. That war was supported by Nato, the EU and Serbia's neighbours, he pointed out.
 
Downing Street said he signalled last week he would quit.
 
But the long-awaited break sounded alarm bells ahead of today's Commons debate on the crisis, which critics say will increase last month's rebellion by 122 Labour MPs to over 150, and will trigger more resignations.
 
A full scale damage-limitation exercise under way last night included an article in today's Guardian by the former US president, Bill Clinton, urging Labour MPs to trust Mr Blair. It was also revealed that Cherie Blair had phoned Mps asking them for support.
 
At Westminster, senior ministers including Gordon Brown and Jack Straw - who made an hour-long statement to MPs - called in their backbench waverers to pile blame on President Jacques Chirac's "in no circumstances" veto of the second UN resolution.
 
Significantly, Mr Brown and the home secretary, David Blunkett - the most likely contenders for Mr Blair's job if the road to Baghdad ends in unexpected military disaster - also went out of their way to stress support for the prime minister at a cabinet that was solidly behind the policy except for Ms Short's well-publicised doubts.
 
 

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