UK News 25-09-2002 Blair Wins Commons Support For Next Move On Iraq who: Tony Blair what: Wins cross-Party support for war despite Labour rebellion where: House of Commons, LONDON when: Yesterday snippet: "Tony Blair yesterday persuaded the majority of his party of the case for action over Iraq," says The Scotsman, "but he suffered a setback after a core of Labour rebels staged a protest vote." 53 Labour MPs used a technical motion in the Commons to register their opposition to war; furthermore, MPs George Galloway and Jeremy Corbyn annonced their plan for a peace march which they hope will be one of the biggest anti-war protests in European history. Following the publication yesterday morning of a dossier which Downing Street says is proof of Saddam Hussein`s ongoing programme to develop weapons of mass destruction, The Guardian puts the PM`s claims to a panel of seven experts. If Iraqis have, as the dossier alleges, tried to procure uranium from Africa, then we cannot conclude that they are able to make nuclear warheads from it, the panel agrees. "Uranium ore on its own is no good," says Bhupendra Jasani, visiting professor at the department of war studies, King`s College London, "so you need to ask where is it being processed, how it will take weapons form and how it will be put onto a warhead. Lots of stages are missing." But David Kay, UN chief weapons inspector between 1991 and 1992, is particularly concerned by a satellite photo which shows the Iraqis are developing ballistic missiles with a range over 1,000km. "I have not seen those weapons stands before," he says. "The map is scary as hell for the European allies who would be within its range." The Sun is certainly convinced by the dossier, laying down the gauntlet to Saddam Hussein with the headline "He`s got `em... let`s get him" and dismissing the rebellion (effectively the biggest of this government to date) by saying the Prime Minister "won an overwhelming vote of confidence" and simultaneously "smashed a handful of Left-wing hecklers". [... more]

What The Papers Say is delivered to thousands of readers every morning by web, WAP and email. Sign up today!