UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has told his cabinet that the policy of "containing" Saddam Hussein has failed and that the Iraqi dictator must be stopped.

Mr Blair told ministers that Iraq had continued to build weapons of mass destruction, as he held talks ahead of Tuesday's emergency recall of Parliament.

We are not talking about historic leftovers but an ongoing, continuing programme

Tony Blair

In a two-hour cabinet session, the prime minister briefed fellow ministers about the dossier of evidence against Iraq which will be unveiled on Tuesday morning.

Some ministers have publicly expressed concern about possible military action, but Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the cabinet was clear about the need to be "resolute and firm" on dealing with Iraq.

Rebel motion

In seeking a "peaceful resolution" of the threat posed by Iraq, the international community had to give Saddam Hussein a "clear choice" and Iraq should know the consequences of failing to disarm, Mr Straw said.

The meeting came as rebel Labour backbenchers prepared to try to table an emergency motion when MPs return to Westminster.

Straw says the cabinet agreed to be "firm and resolute"

Tam Dalyell, the longest serving Labour MP, plans to press the Commons speaker for a vote on a specific motion opposing war on Iraq unless authorised by the UN Security Council and a vote of MPs.

A draft United Nations resolution will be tabled "within days" to set out what Iraq needs to do to comply with international weapons inspections, says Downing Street.

'Threat has increased'

But the US and UK will need to overcome resistance to a fresh resolution from other UN Security Council members.

Mr Blair told cabinet ministers on Monday evening: "The truth is the policy of containment has not worked.

"He [Saddam] has been able to make progress in his weapons of mass destruction programme and has to be stopped."

Clare Short: Expressed concern about war

Downing Street said the prime minister had said the issue was not "historic leftovers, but an ongoing, continuing programme".

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz earlier said new weapons inspections would prove such claims "inaccurate".

Plans for a war with Iraq were not being discussed the cabinet meeting, the first in two months, Downing Street added.

Mr Blair said the government's 55-page dossier on Iraq would show the "real and serious problem" of its weapons programmes had got worse since UN inspectors left the country in 1998.

The dossier, which coincides with the emergency recall of Parliament, will be available on the Downing Street website from 0800 BST (0700 GMT).

Downing Street says it will "nail the lie that they (Iraq) have no weapons of mass destruction".

Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith said the dossier would contain "some of the most graphic pictures" of what Saddam Hussein had done to his own people with chemical and biological weapons.

The prime minister's spokesman insisted there would be "no gagging order" preventing ministers from speaking out on Iraq.

Persuasion campaign

Ahead of the cabinet meeting, Mr Blair held one-to-one sessions with ministers thought to be concerned about possible military action.

Those included Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett and International Development Secretary Clare Short.

Ms Short has said she thinks it would be wrong to have another Gulf War and to make the ordinary people of Iraq suffer.

Mr Cook stresses the need for UN backing

Leaving the cabinet meeting, Ms Short told reporters: "We had a good discussion. We all agreed."

In a weekend newspaper interview, Commons Leader and former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said military action must have the full authority of the UN.

He said it should also be limited to removing weapons of mass destruction, rather than at regime change.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott also met Mr Blair separately - he is seen as a crucial figure in winning over Labour Party opinion.

Rebellion ahead?

A number of Labour MPs are expected to vote against the government on Tuesday, although there will be no "substantive" motion.

Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn said he was opposed to war because it would not help the Iraqi people and it was the "wrong" thing to do.

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy told delegates at his party's conference in Brighton that all diplomatic and political avenues must be explored before military action was considered.

He asked: "Am I alone in worrying about the undermining of the moral, legal and practical authority of the United Nations? I think not."