Backing Iraq war 'my biggest political mistake,' says ex-minister
Iraq-UK, Politics, 12/2/2006

One of Prime Minister Tony Blair's former cabinet ministers admitted yesterday that his biggest political mistake was voting for British troops to support the US invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Supporting the Iraq war in the Commons three years ago was the "biggest error of judgment of my political life," former Environment Secretary Michael Meacher said yesterday.

"Like millions of others, I now bitterly resent that a prime minister could use such a farrago of lies and manipulation to deceive us and to take the nation to war so dishonestly," Meacher said.

His candid admission, made on the Guardian's Comment is Free website, was being linked with his potential candidacy to replace Prime Minister Tony Blair as Labor leader when he steps down from power next year.

The 67-year old veteran MP is reportedly battling with his left-wing colleague John McDonnell to stand in an eventual election on a similar platform aimed at returning Britain's ruling party back to its working-class roots based on socialist principles.

McDonnell, who has already declared his candidacy, has already pledged to withdraw British troops from both Iraq and Afghanistan in the forlorn hope of replacing Blair as prime minister.

The Guardian said that Meacher was one of a number of likely Labour leadership and deputy leadership candidates being pressed to admit that the war has proved to be a mistake.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, the clear favorite to replace Blair, has continued to express his support for the government's Iraq war policy.

But last month, former Home Secretary David Blunkett revealed in his published diaries that the prime minister threatened to sack Brown unless he offered his unequivocal public support for the Iraq war in the final five days before the 2003 invasion.

Previous Stories:
  Iraq war Blair's 'big mistake,' says minister   (11/18/2006)
  Don't miss cooperation with Iran, UK told   (11/13/2006)
  121 British fatalities in Iraq so far   (11/7/2006)

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