Thousands protest as Britain denies backing Bush

THE British Government yesterday rejected accusations that it might reposition British troops to more dangerous areas in Iraq to boost US President George W Bush’s political position in the US presidential election race.

Meanwhile, thousands of anti-war demonstrators marched through London and received a ringing endorsement from the brother of murdered hostage Ken Bigley.

The protest saw huge crowds take to the streets in a bid to end the conflict in Iraq after Paul Bigley said in support: “The more people raise their voices, the safer we will all be.”

Responding to reports that military chiefs are resisting US requests for British troops to be sent to more dangerous areas of Iraq, health secretary John Reid dismissed claims a redeployment of troops would be a “political gesture”.

“For people to suggest that there is some tawdry political deal here, I think, diminishes the effort that has been made by our soldiers on the ground,” he said.

“There will be occasions when you are fighting in coalition when, at a given tactical level, you operate under your ally’s control.”

Media reports in recent days say up to 650 British troops may be moved north to cover for US units battling insurgents in the rebel-held city of Fallujah and elsewhere.

The Conservatives say any troop movement must not be used as a “political gesture” to reassure Mr Bush.

A spokesman for the British Ministry of Defence confirmed that Washington had made a formal request to deploy British troops in US operation sectors of Iraq, which include the highly volatile cities of Fallujah and Baghdad.

British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon will make a statement to parliament today but is not expected to announce a decision on the US request.

Defence sources said if British troops were to be redeployed into US-controlled areas of Iraq, it was very unlikely they would be sent to the hotspots of Fallujah or Baghdad.

British troops have until now operated only in the relatively quiet Basra area of southern Iraq, where some 8,000 British soldiers are stationed. Since the Iraq war began, 68 British troops have died, compared with more than 1,000 US troops.

Any prospect of a sharp rise in British casualties would be acutely uncomfortable for British Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose unpopular decision to join Mr Bush in the March 2003 invasion has hit his ratings and divided his party.

Mr Blair, who has been mocked as Mr Bush’s “poodle” for following his lead on Iraq, also faces accusations from his own party that British troops are being used as pawns in a game to boost Mr Bush’s standing ahead of US presidential elections on November 2.

While the anti-war protest was taking place, a heartfelt plea for help in finding the body of Ken Bigley was broadcast throughout the Gulf states today.

Speaking in Arabic, the British Ambassador to Iraq, Edward Chaplin, appealed on the Arabic TV station al-Arabiya more than a week after the 62-year-old engineer was beheaded by his captors.

A video of the murder was later broadcast on internet but Mr Bigley’s body has never been found.