British Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labour government defeated an opposition call in the House of Commons for a fresh inquiry into the Iraq war.
MPs voted 298 to 273 against an opposition motion calling for senior politicians to investigate the run-up to the 2003 conflict and its aftermath.
Mr Blair saw his parliamentary majority cut as some Labour Party members voted against the government.
The vote followed a three-hour debate on a motion tabled by the Scottish and Welsh nationalist parties
During the debate opposition parties stated the way in which Mr Blair took the country to war was unconstitutional.
Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said troops were in Iraq at the express request of its government and with full support of the United Nations.
Mr Blair averted what would have been a damaging defeat after Ms Beckett raised the possibility of an inquiry into the war once the fighting was over and British troops were home.
Three killed in Baghdad car bombing
This morning, a car bomb exploded in central Baghdad, killing three civilians and injuring seven passers-by.
The blast targeted Palestine Street in the heart of the city, near the busy Beirut Square.
Six similar attacks across the city yesterday killed at least 36 people and wounded scores more.
In Sadr City, shops were shut and many workers stayed at home after a local militia leader called for protests at what he called a US military siege.
For the past week, Iraqi and US troops have been manning checkpoints and mounting raids in the area in a search for an American soldier of Iraqi origin who was kidnapped in central Baghdad last Monday.
Journalists in the area said there were few cars on the streets and most shops and businesses were shut.
Some bakeries selling bread and essential items were open.
The US military said Iraqi special forces detained three people in Sadr City early today.
Cheney accuses insurgents over attacks
The US Vice-President, Dick Cheney, said last night that insurgents in Iraq have increased their attacks in order to influence the upcoming US mid-term elections.
He said al-Qaeda and other militant groups operating in Iraq were trying to break the will of the American people.
In October, US forces in Iraq have suffered one of their worst monthly death tolls.
Polls indicate sliding support for the Bush administration's Iraq policy and growing numbers of US citizens wanting to see troops returning home.
