Blair: This is not the time to falter

Amid dramatic scenes in the Commons on Tuesday night, 217 MPs - 139 of them Labour backbenchers - backed a rebel amendment opposing the government's stance on Iraq, with 396 opposing the motion.

A motion backing the government's position was passed by 412 votes to 149.

Rebel vote For: 217 Against: 396 Labour rebels: 139 Majority: 179

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But the revolt among Labour MPs was still up on the last vote with 139 backbenchers opposing Mr Blair compared to 122 at the last vote.

Government motion For: 412 Against: 149 Majority: 263

Support for the government motion fell by 22 votes to 412 from 434 when Iraq was last debated.

Rebel Graham Allen said the revolt was the largest ever against a Labour government.

"It's not something we wanted to have to do but it's a very strong message to the prime minister and I hope we can now all reflect carefully tomorrow on how we arrived at this situation again," he said.

But the government immediately rolled out big-hitting ministers to hail victory.

'Unite'

Within minutes of the vote being announced, Labour chairman John Reid told BBC News Online: "It is now clear that parliament has voted clearly to support the government in its efforts to disarm Saddam Hussein.

And Mr Blair's official spokesman echoed the message, saying: "It is now time for all of us in Parliament and in the country to come together and show the support our Armed Forces deserve."

The amendment drawn up by rebel MPs said there was no moral justification for war without a new UN resolution.

The vote followed more than nine hours of impassioned debate in the Commons during which the prime minister said Saddam Hussein would be strengthened "beyond measure" if the world fails to make Iraq disarm.

In one of the most important speeches of his career, the prime minister urged MPs "to give a lead, to show we will stand up for what we know to be right".

Mr Blair said the only people who would suffer if Saddam is not tackled would be the Iraqi people.

As Foreign Secretary Jack Straw wound up the debate there were protests from the public gallery in the Commons.

Outside, 200 - 400 protesters brought traffic to a standstill in Parliament Square.

One, 27-year-old Dan Kent, said: "I'm here because I don't believe in this war. It is essentially fuelling hatred."

US President George W Bush has given Saddam Hussein 48 hours to leave Iraq from 0100GMT on Tuesday.

All UN inspectors have now left Iraq after President Bush's warning to Saddam.

The Commons debate took place as the prime minister suffered two more ministerial resignations from his government, but also saw another minister - Clare Short - saying she had decided to stay in her cabinet post as international development secretary.

She had earlier threatened to quit the government if the UK joined the US in action against Iraq without a second UN resolution.