Britain's Minister for International Development, Claire Short, has said she will resign if the government follows the United States into a war against Iraq without the authorisation of the United Nations.
Her warning comes only hours after a member of parliament in Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labour Party confirmed he was stepping down as an aide to the government because of its stance on Iraq.
Another nine aides are expected to follow suit if Mr Blair takes Britain into war without a UN mandate. The first to resign was Andrew Reed, a Labour MP who is a ministerial aide at Britain's Environment Department. He walked out amid uncertainty over whether or not British troops should go to war without a second UN resolution.
Britain's Foreign Secretary Jack Straw appeared to suggest today that the March 17 deadline for war would stand even it was not possible to secure agreement at the United Nations.
With UN support for a March 17 deadline for war on Iraq in serious doubt, the first cracks in the Blair administration have appeared with the resignation of ministerial aide Andrew Reed.
With reports that others in government will follow him if British troops go to war without a second UN resolution, unease over Mr Blair's policy is now far more widespread at Westminster than the week before last when over a 120 Labour MPs refused to support him in the Commons.
Jack Straw hinted that Britain was prepared to join the United States in military strikes on Iraq without UN approval, but hoped such authorisation would be forthcoming. 'We reserve the right to make decisions if it is not possible to secure agreement here in the United Nations,' he said. 'But by God we want a second resolution.'
60% think Blair mishandled Iraq crisisMeanwhile, almost 60% of people in Britain now believe Tony Blair has mishandled the crisis over Iraq, according to a new opinion poll today.
The findings come as Mr Blair continues his diplomatic campaign to secure last-minute support for a second United Nations resolution and a deadline for war.
These latest indications of faltering public support are yet more unwelcome news for Mr Blair who suffered the first resignation from his government over Iraq. Ministerial aide Andrew Reed is now expected to outline in detail his reasons for stepping down.
It is already clear others like him are also prepared to go if Mr Blair commits British troops to war without a second UN resolution. The Prime Minister has also failed to convince at least half the country of the case for war against Iraq.
A poll conducted for Independent Television suggests that 57% of people in Britain oppose it and among women the figure's almost two thirds.
However the poll also shows that if the UN were to endorse military action later this week up to 70% of people in Britain would fall in behind their Prime Minister.
