LONDON, March 30 (UPI) -- Labor lawmakers who opposed the Iraq war are to defy Prime Minister Tony Blair by running on an anti-war ticket in Britain's upcoming election.
Seventeen rebel members of Parliament have signed a declaration saying: "I was and remain totally opposed to the war on Iraq. If elected as your parliamentary representative in the forthcoming general election, I will do everything in my power to bring the occupation of Iraq to an end."
Their decision to make Iraq an issue of trust in the election -- expected on May 5 -- is a setback for Blair, who wants to move on from the war.
Alan Simpson, MP and chairman of Labor Against the War, told the Independent: "The war and the leader are the biggest factors on the doorstep. Those MPs who opposed the war would be daft not to make that clear to their constituents. It's the biggest single issue driving Labor supporters into another camp -- either the war itself or the question of trust."
Candidates have also been given the option to ditch Blair from their campaign literature. One MP told the Independent many would opt to do so, saying, "Even the most loyal MP knows he is a liability."
