Members of parliament (MPs) mounting an attempt to impeach British Prime Minister Tony Blair for allegedly misleading the country over the war with Iraq expressed confidence on Thursday that they could secure enough support to force a debate early next year.
The organizers, who launched the campaign last month, have the backing of 21 MPs. By January they hope to secure 50 supporters to revive this antiquated parliamentary device.
The campaign has received added impetus from UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who declared the US-led invasion of Iraq illegal earlier this week.
Alex Salmond, the Scottish National Party leader and one of the organizers, said: "It is important democratically, when all other procedures fail, that parliament call the prime minister to account."
The campaign organizers will publish independent legal advice from barristers this Wednesday.
"It will be a robust argument in favour of impeachment," a member of the campaign said on Thursday.
But a government source was dismissive of the move, casting doubt on whether the MPs would even be allowed to hold a debate.
"They have not got a prayer," he said.
The government points to a Commons committee that examined parliamentary procedure in 1999 and concluded that the use of impeachment was now so remote as to be considered obsolete.
The government has been going through the parliamentary rulebook and examined various routes the MPs could pursue. According to the source, all of them would be blocked off at an early stage.
But the campaign organizers claim that if 50 MPs -- or even 30 -- ask for a debate, it will be difficult to refuse.
No one expects that Blair will be impeached, but the rebels will be satisfied with securing the debate.
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