British Prime Minister Tony Blair was dealt a huge blow last week when 122 members of his own party voted for a resolution stating an attack on Iraq is not justified.

It was the biggest backbench revolt seen in Britain in more than a century. The dissent within the Labor Party over Iraq has tripled in recent weeks, at least partly because of the huge anti-war rallies in London on February 15.

Despite the surging rebellion in the ranks of the Labour Party, Blair’s aggressive approach to Iraq was comfortably endorsed by the House of Commons, thanks to the support of the Conservative opposition.

Well, some Labour Party MPs are not only speaking out against Blair, they are defecting. Paul Marsden quit the Labor party in protest in December, 2001 and joined the Liberal Democrats.

He now joins us in our studio.

• Paul Marsden, British Member of Parliament.