Straw: Seeking to avoid rebellion

Ministers have avoided an embarrassing conference defeat on a call for a "phased withdrawal" of British troops from Iraq.

The focus of the Brighton gathering returned to the controversy on Thursday with the major unions rallying behind the party leadership after days of uncertainty.

Activists insisted on a full ballot on the motion calling for an "early date" to be set for the withdrawal of British troops despite an "overwhelming" show of hands against it.

But the motion was defeated by 86 per cent to 14 per cent.

Intense negotiations between the party leadership and unions paid off as an alternative statement from Labour's National Executive Committee, promising that UK armed forces will operate in the country in line with UN resolutions and with the agreement of Iraqi authorities, was passed.

However this compromise was criticised as being dependent on the highly volatile political process remaining on track.

In his address, foreign secretary Jack Straw acknowledged that "today the situation in Iraq is difficult".

But he argued that the current role of British troops is agreed with the Iraqi administration and backed unanimously by the UN.

"There is no occupation," he insisted. "US, UK and other countries' forces can only be in Iraq at the request of the Iraqi government."

"The mandate of the forces expires by December 2005 and would then have to be renewed as the NEC statement explains."

Leaving unilaterally would be a "terrible blow to free trade unionism", the foreign secretary quoted an Iraqi visitor to the conference as saying.

And it would strengthen the hand of terrorists and hostage takers seeking to get a grip on the country, he argued.

"These evil men who, knowing that they cannot succeed by ballot, seek to impose their will by bullet and bomb," he said.

Rebel push

Pat Healey, the proposer of the rebel motion, said it was a "call for a phased and ordered withdrawal" and a "proper exit strategy".

"For that process to begin a date must be set."

"We could come back next year with no progress having been made," she added.

"British forces are now part of the problem, not part of the solution."

She refused to withdraw her motion, despite having lost its seconder following party pressure, and called for a detailed card vote among delegates.

Earlier anti-war NEC member Shahid Malik had called for unity.

"We are a great and diverse party, we must not be divided," he said.

Defence industry

Speaking in the same debate, defence secretary Geoff Hoon announced that a trade union representative had for the first time been appointed to a key arms manufacturing body.

John Wall of Amicus will now sit on the National Defence Industries Council in recognition of what the minister said was the key role unions play in supporting the sector.

Hoon also attacked Conservative plans for the armed forces, which he labelled a "£2.6 billion cuts agenda".

"Labour is the only party that can be trusted with the defence of our country," he said.

"The Tories cut back on our defence in the past and and they would cut back on our defence in the future."

Global poverty

International development secretary Hilary Benn called on delegates to back government efforts to eliminate global poverty.

"We're not making enough progress towards lifting people out of poverty, getting children in to school, and reducing the number of mums who die - needlessly - in pregnancy and childbirth," he said.

"We've led the fight for debt relief - writing off bilateral debt owed to the UK, and providing $70 billion of debt relief for the world's poorest countries - and we're now taking the lead again on multilateral debt.

"We have thrown down a challenge to the rest of the world."