Links between Iraq and al-Qaida have been established, the prime minister insisted. He acknowledged it was impossible to know the exact extent of the links and also said there was no evidence linking Saddam Hussein's regime to al-Qaida "in circumstances concerning the September 11 attack". But he told Conservative leader, Iain Duncan Smith: "We do know of links between al-Qaida and Iraq."
After anti-war MPs shouted "who's next?" Mr Blair retorted: "After we deal with Iraq we do, yes, through the United Nations have to confront North Korea about its weapons programme."
Gulf deployments
Depleted uranium munitions will form part of the armoury taken to the Gulf by British troops preparing for a possible war with Iraq, the armed forces minister, Adam Ingram, confirmed. He said weapons containing the substance - blamed by veterans' groups for ill health suffered by soldiers after the first Gulf war - would be available.
The government is examining alternatives, should service personnel going to the Gulf be unable to get life insurance cover privately at a reasonable premium, said junior defence minister Lord Bach.
