Prime Minister Tony Blair has been warned to "stop acting like the American foreign minister" over his stance on Iraq.

Liberal Democrat president Lord Dholakia said the prime minister must start listening to British concerns about military action.

It comes amid growing concern among MPs that the US and the UK are prepared to take military action alone without UN authority.

To Tony Blair I say 'stop behaving like the foreign minister of the USA, put Britain's views first'

Lord Dholakia, Lib Dem president

Nine Labour anti-war rebels have begun a parliamentary petition demanding a Commons vote on Iraq as soon as possible.

In a speech to the Welsh Liberal Democrats' autumn conference, Baron Dholakia of Waltham Brooks said his was the only party to reflect the public concern about military conflict.

On Friday, Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy warned that the UK and the US would find it difficult to justify pre-emptive action against Iraq without UN backing.

Lord Dholakia warned against a battle with Islam

Lord Dholakia said: "To Tony Blair I say 'stop behaving like the foreign minister of the USA, put Britain's views first'."

He said the old iron curtain must not be replaced by a battle between the west and Islam.

MPs were denied a vote on the Iraq crisis during last month's emergency debate on the issue after the government's dossier on Iraq was published.

However, more than 60 MPs, including 50 Labour rebels, registered their opposition to possible military action in a procedural vote.

Ministers have said there will be a vote if there is military action against Iraq, but have refused to be drawn on the timing for that vote.