Blair gets Commons backing for war on Iraq

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair last night won Commons backing for war against Iraq but at the personal cost of another huge backbench rebellion.

Up to 139 Labour MPs are believed to have voted against his hardline stance on Iraq, despite a day of arm-twisting by the whips.

If the figure is confirmed by analysis of the division list later it will be a bigger revolt than the 122-strong rebellion last month, with more than half of Labour backbenchers opposing the government.