Blair defends absence from key Iraq debate
Tony Blair has defended his decision to miss a key parliamentary debate on Iraq this afternoon, saying he will inform MPs on progress there in the near future.
The prime minister has been condemned by opposition parties for choosing to address the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) rather than attend what is the first House of Commons debate on Iraq, in government time, since July 2004.
Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell wrote him a letter noting that as the 130th British serviceman was killed, and as another 75 Iraqis died in Baghdad yesterday, “the British people are entitled to hear your analysis and strategy for withdrawal”.
Shadow foreign secretary William Hague warned: “[Mr Blair] should now be in the House to reassure parliament and the country that the government understands the gravity of situation in Iraq and has a clear strategy for making Iraq safe and stable.”
And John McDonnell, the left-wing Labour backbencher who has promised to stand against Gordon Brown for the party leadership, said Mr Blair’s absence from the debate was “a shocking negation of his responsibilities”.
But during prime minister’s questions this lunchtime, Mr Blair said he was happy to debate the issue – telling Sir Menzies: “I’m debating the issue with him now” – and would give MPs a full update when the progress of Operation Sinbad in Basra was finished.
He warned the Lib Dems’ policy to begin a phased withdrawal from October would “send the most disastrous symbol to the people we are fighting in Iraq”, adding: “It is a policy that whatever superficial attractions may be it is deeply irresponsible.”
As the debate itself began later, Ms Beckett faced more questions about Mr Blair’s absence, with SNP leader Alex Salmond asking: “Why was he so anxious to talk us into this disastrous war but so reluctant to explain how we’re going to get out of it?”
The foreign secretary rejected this as “rather a silly remark”, saying the there was a “clear potential turning point in Iraq” with Operation Sinbad seeing the handover of security to Iraq forces in Basra, and the prime minister would update MPs on that when necessary.
Defying the heckles from around the House of Commons, she added: “All of this totally neglects the fact that no prime minister in the history of this country has put themselves before the scrutiny of parliament more than this prime minister.
“It is he and he alone who agreed to what has been a long-standing request of select committee chairs from all parts of the House to go to the liaison committee for several hours. So he is not a prime minister who can at all be accused of avoiding the scrutiny of this House.”
Last night, US president George Bush appealed to the Democratic-led congress to back his plans to send another 20,000 US troops into Iraq, in his annual state of the union address.
“Our country is pursuing a new strategy in Iraq and I ask you to give it a chance to work,” he said.
