 | | |   | | | | | Battlelines drawn by government resignations | | | |
Listen to Robin Cook, Lord Hunt and John Prescott following the collapse of diplomatic efforts at the UN.
Tony Blair with Cook and Short by his side.
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After weeks of public and private lobbying at the United Nations in New York, attempts by the US, Britain and Spain to secure a further Security Council resolution expressly authorising immediate force against Iraq collapsed on Monday, March 17.
The 'coalition of the willing' blamed France for the diplomatic breakdown, indicating that it was that country's threat to use its veto (as a permanent member of the Security Council) that resulted in any vote on Britain's draft resolution being abandoned.
It was that decision that prompted a spectacular series of developments for the Government of Tony Blair, that had fought so long and hard to secure new and specific UN sanction for war.
Robin Cook resigned from his Cabinet position as Leader of the House of Commons, Health Minister Lord Hunt made public his decision to resign from the Government live on the Today programme and it became apparent Clare Short is not going to follow through on her promise to resign if there wasn't a further mandate for war from the Security Council.
Mr Cook told us: "Right from the very start of this present crisis, as the Leader of the House I always made it clear that no Government can go to war without support in the House of Commons. It would be politically impossible for (Tony Blair) to do so without the backing of the House of Commons."
Lord Hunt told us that he was yet to speak with the Prime Minister personally about his decision to leave the Government. "I recognise the tremendous efforts made by the Prime Minister and other ministers to try and secure a second resolution. But I do not feel we are justified in taking pre-emptive action without broad international support, or the clear support of the British people."
But the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, made a joke of Lord Hunt's announcement when speaking with John Humphrys. "I don't know who Lord Hunt is, he is obviously a minister of Government - I'm sorry for my ignorance."
"I appeal directly to my own colleagues to support us in this situation, to support a leader who, as (Robin Cook) has said, is one of the best leaders we have had, who has exercised good judgment, who has clearly shown honesty and integrity," he said.
You can listen to Lord Hunt's resignation announcement, our interview with Robin Cook and John Prescott's immediate response, by clicking on the links on the right hand side of the page, or by visiting the Today 'Iraq Audio Timeline'.
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