Blair's resignation fear over war in Iraq

In his first interview since the conclusion of the conflict in Iraq, Prime Minister Tony Blair has revealed that he would have quit if he lost party support in a crucial Commons vote on military intervention.

During the interview with the Sun's political editor Trevor Kavanagh, Mr Blair said that he had sat down with his children and explained to them that their father could be out of a job as "it was possible that the thing could go against me”.

That vote, on an amendment to the government's motion on March 18, saw a record number of Labour backbenchers rebel against Blair's policy on Iraq. One hundred and thirty nine Labour MPs were among 217 all-party members who voted against the government that night. Despite what was the biggest backbench rebellion against a government in living memory, the main motion was carried overwhelmingly.

But in the aftermath of Blair's victory, three Cabinet ministers – including the Leader of the House and former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook – and six government aides quit in opposition to the war.

Mr Blair said: “In the end, if you lose your Premiership, well, you lose it. But at least you lose it on the basis that it is something that you believe in. The most terrible thing for someone in my position is to end up losing your job for something you don’t really believe in.”

However, Tony Blair said that whilst it had been a difficult time, he was "relieved" when he saw that Saddam Hussein's regime had crumbled – in the symbolic statue-toppling moment in the heart of Baghdad.

He said: “Once I had made what I thought was the right decision, I never lost any sleep over all the hassle and the abuse and the disagreement and the wrangling.

“I found it very frustrating and at times extraordinary that there were so many people against something that seemed to me in principle so obviously right.

“When you are in my position, what dwarfs any of that is the ultimate responsibility for a life and death decision for many people.

"That is the thing that really weighs on your mind — that the decision that you take is going to result in many people’s lives being changed forever and some people’s lives being ended.”

With the military role in Iraq now all but over, how the post-conflict phase is conducted through the EU, UN and Whitehouse will be a further test of Mr Blair's considerable powers of diplomacy.

(GMcG)