LONDON: The British Prime Minister's office has rejected calls for the emergency recall of parliament immediately following tomorrow's Camp David Iraq summit meeting between President Bush and Mr Blair.
The Liberal Democrat leader, Mr Charles Kennedy, said it was "absolutely imperative" that Mr Blair address MPs "as soon as practically possible" upon his return from the US. As Mr Kennedy wrote to parliament speaker, Mr Michael Martin, asking that MPs be given an opportunity to discuss the gathering international crisis, the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru also lined up behind the call renewed on Tuesday by the "Father" of the Commons, Mr Tam Dalyell.
The veteran Labour MP said yesterday one vital reason for a Westminster recall was that "Americans should be aware of the diversity of opinion in Britain on this matter."
However, as TUC leaders voiced "unambiguous opposition" to unilateral action against Iraq, the leader of the Commons, Mr Robin Cook, said there was no "urgent case" for bringing MPs back from their summer break.
And the Labour government was given some limited political cover when the Conservatives refused to push the immediate recall button. However, pressure was building on Mr Blair to face MPs sooner rather than later as the Tory leader, Mr Iain Duncan Smith, urged him to pave the way for a full and "informed" debate by publishing his promised dossier of evidence against Mr Saddam Hussein in a matter of days.
Mr Cook told reporters: "The prime minister said . . . that action is neither imminent nor is it inevitable so therefore it is not an urgent case for Parliament returning but it is an issue we will keep under review."
At the same time Mr Cook - believed to be the leading cabinet sceptic about war with Iraq - appeared to go beyond Mr Blair's previous comments about the nature of any consultation with MPs ahead of any military commitment. "In practical terms it is not conceivable that Britain could embark on military action without the support of the House of Commons," he said, adding: "In 1991 the Labour Party agreed with John Major that there should be a debate on a substantive motion of a military commitment to the Gulf War. I am perfectly confident the government will bear in mind that precedent."
Union leaders approved a motion for debate at next week's TUC Congress calling for every effort to resolve the crisis by diplomatic means and insisting on "a multilateral approach" rooted in "the explicit authority" of the UN Security Council.