[Dog Gone]

What the heck are frontbench and backbench party members?

[whadizit]

Waaaaa...I'm going to take my toys and go home. Crybabies!

[dinok]

I just hope the Torries forget politics and vote with Blair. This is too serius for them to take advantage and watch Blair's government fall.

[wretchard]

This is a lose-lose situation for the British Left. Even if their plans eventuate, they will weaken Tony Blair without toppling him and diminish the chances that Labor can continue govern. If the campaign in Iraq goes well, it will empower centrist Labor party members to take the knife to the extreme left of their party. The Conservatives can just stand and watch, in any case.

Labor could successfully triangulate so long as issues were kept general and nebulous. When the litmus test of British national interest came along, the mask dissolved. Cooperation with America has the same effect on the left as garlic does to vampires. It reduces them to raging pain and irrationality. Always a joy to watch.

[Cicero]

The headline from the left-wing Guardian is misleading. Almost the entire article suggests that Blair will win the vote.

[SCHROLL]

Blair should simply ask them how he's going to get a resolution passed when ChIRAQ has guaranteed to veto one.

[afuturegovernor]

But some rebels are reluctant to predict how many MPs will defy a three-line whip

Prime Minister's put a "whip" on votes in the House of Commons. Crossing over a three line whip is serious in British politics.

An one-line whip means please vote with us.
A two-line whip means this is serious, we need you to vote with us.
A three-line whip means this a critical, you must vote with us, crossing this vote will destroy your chances at any future leadership position and we might find someone else to run under our party label next election.

[cookcounty]

160 + 40 = 200. Big Deal.

so 200 out of 660 members of Parliament will vote against Blair. 460-200 is a big victory, but watch CNN and the lib press call it a defeat.

[Tax Government]

Those 160 Labour MPs don't want to represent a sovereign state. Especially, they don't want anything like the responsibility that attaches to waging war against actual enemies.

They'd rather UK were a mere province in a socialist mega-state. Good luck to them all; big-momma EU might swallow the UK, and take UK sovereignty with it.

Of course, it speaks volumes about the basic level-headedness of some in the Labour party, that they could elect Blair. "Good show."

[George W. Bush]

I don't think they're even expecting to get the 160. This is just whipping the party rebels along on expectations, ecouraging them to vote against Blair. The ones who are already rebelling are hoping to get even more to join with them. They're afraid that the French opposition and attempt to unseat Blair will backfire. If they don't get more MPs on board before the war breaks out, Blair's numbers will go up and their reputations will really sink.

Blair is going to crush these people. It's actually kind of funny. And I'm not too sure they'll get any new 40 votes against Blair.

[unspun]

Some are resigning? Aw........

Can we do something to help the leftists in Congress engage in this strategy, please?

[Timesink]

Charles Kennedy, speaking to the Liberal Democrat spring conference in Torquay...

I *DO* hope you enjoyed your stay...!