Blair called a sycophant as anti-war jibes get personal
Kevin Maguire Tuesday September 10, 2002 The Guardian
Tony Blair will today risk a hostile reaction from union leaders when he insists that military action against "international outlaw" Saddam Hussein will be in defence of the United Nations and enforce international law.
The prime minister is to use a speech to the TUC conference in Blackpool to argue that doing nothing will undermine the UN's authority and allow the Iraqi dictator to obtain nuclear weapons.
Downing Street criticised "personal attacks" on the prime minister by anti-war leftwing union leaders. Mr Blair's official spokesman said the prime minister believed it would be "wrong and irresponsible" to ignore the threat posed by President Saddam.
According to the aide, Mr Blair will say today: "In the face of evidence that Saddam has chemical and biological weapons, evidence too that he is continuing his efforts to develop nuclear weapons, we cannot stand by and do nothing.
"We should do everything we can to stop him using the weapons he has and getting weapons he wants."
Mr Blair faced further criticism from his European allies yesterday when the French president, Jacques Chirac, hinted that he found the British prime minister's support for the US on Iraq "sycophantic".
Mr Chirac used an interview in the New York Times to state that he found the Bush administration doctrine of pre-emptive military action in its fight against terrorism "extraordinarily dangerous" and to stress that France would never act as a lackey for America.
"In life, you know, one must not confuse friends with sycophants... It's better to have only a few friends than to have a lot of sycophants. And I'm telling you that France considers itself one of the friends of the Americans, not necessarily one of its sycophants," he said.
He went on to emphasise that Mr Blair was isolating himself by aligning Britain so firmly with America.
"It's not Schröder and I on one side, and Bush and Blair on the other; it's Bush and Blair on one side and all the others on the other side," he said.
Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, who has also distanced himself from Mr Blair's position, said Germany would not "click its heels" and follow the US into war with Iraq.
"The Middle East doesn't need more war, it needs more peace," Mr Schröder told a Social Democrat rally in Cologne. "It is a mistake to think about military intervention in Iraq."
Mr Blair was meeting union general secretaries in Blackpool last night in an attempt to talk them round after they queued up to criticise the prime minister, George Bush and US policy during a debate on Iraq.
The TUC had said at the weekend that Mr Blair would not arrive in Blackpool until early today and one union source said he had flown in early to "meet and greet" his critics.
Mick Rix, leader of the Aslef train drivers and prominent member of the new generation of "awkward squad" of union leaders, said Washington was "hell bent" on toppling the Iraqi regime.
"It is not about weapons of mass destruction and to our shame the British government is supporting this stance. British public opinion is clear - people from all walks of life want no part in this war," Mr Rix said.
A TUC general council statement passed by the conference yesterday expressed "unambiguous opposition" to unilateral military action and insisted on "explicit" UN authority ahead of any attack.
A more hardline anti-war motion was defeated on a card vote and, while Mr Blair's official spokesman said the prime minister could "live with" the TUC statement, the mood of the conference was hostile.
About a third of Mr Blair's speech today is to be devoted to international affairs, and his attempt to take the moral high ground over the UN could backfire with leftwingers, who accused the US and British governments of imperialism.
By refusing to readmit UN weapons inspectors, Mr Blair will say, President Saddam is defying UN resolutions and to ignore him would be to side-step a real threat to world peace.
The prime minister is to promise to consult widely on the options for dealing with the Iraqi president and believes there is now greater international acceptance of the threat posed by Saddam, said the official spokesman.
"Saddam Hussein has flouted UN resolutions year after year and every year he has done so, the UN's authority has been challenged and weakened," said the aide.
Mr Blair could also be hit by protests over privatisation, including the private finance initiative and public private partnerships. The spokesman said he would refuse to change policies opposed by the unions.
"The programme of investment and reform in public services is making real progress, investment that is only possible because of the tough and often unpopular decisions taken in the first term," he said.