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 Clare Short quits post over Iraq
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Clare Short quits post over Iraq
International Development Secretary Clare Short has quit her cabinet job, accusing Tony Blair of breaking promises over Iraq's future.
She will be replaced in the cabinet by Baroness Amos, the Foreign Office minister who has been the government's spokeswoman on international development in the House of Lords.
The news comes just days after the controversial Labour MP had missed a crucial House of Commons vote on plans for foundation hospitals.
The assurances you gave me about the need for a UN mandate to establish a legitimate Iraqi government have been breached.
Clare Short's letter to Tony Blair
Ms Short had threatened to quit before the start of war with Iraq, describing Tony Blair as "reckless" during the build-up to military action.
But she decided to stay, saying that to leave on the eve of war would be "copping out" when Tony Blair had no option but to go ahead without a fresh United Nations mandate.
Ms Short told the prime minister of her decision to resign when she telephoned him just 20 minutes before the news was announced.
She is expected make a resignation statement in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon.
'Broken promises'
Ms Short says her position was made impossible by the draft new UN resolution about rebuilding Iraq, which is still being discussed at the Security Council.
She told BBC News: "The position the UK's adopting in the Security Council is totally dishonourable and breaches the promises that the UN would have the proper role in bringing into being a legitimate interim Iraqi authority.
"I cannot defend it. It is wrong in international law and for the rebuilding of Iraq and it breaches the promises that the prime minister gave to me."
She said the UK was colluding with mistakes which could have serious implications for world order.
In her resignation letter, she also accused the prime minister and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw of "secretly" negotiating a UN Security Council resolution which contradicted promises she had given in Parliament to MPs.
Downing Street said Ms Short's five minute phone call to Mr Blair had been "perfectly cordial".
Number 10 denial
The prime minister's official spokesman moved to rebut some of Ms Short's accusations.
He said he was not aware of any assurances Mr Blair had given about post-conflict Iraq that had not been kept.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3019871.stm
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