Labour conference backs leadership on Iraq
In today’s crucial vote on Iraq, the Labour Party conference has overwhelmingly backed the leadership.
The Government-backed motion – the NEC statement on Iraq – which proposed a compromise position, namely that troops should leave Iraq if specifically requested to by a democratically elected government, was overwhelmingly carried by a show of hands.
The second vote, on an emergency motion calling for a timetable to be set for the withdrawal of troops on Iraq was put to a card vote.
Ministers had lined up during the debate to call on the conference to reject the motion, arguing that the UK would be failing in its responsibilities to leave Iraq now, before the job is completed.
The conference appears to have heeded their calls and backed the Government’s position. The initial results indicate that 90 per cent of the unions, and around 80 per cent of constituency party delegates rejected the emergency motion.
