Former Deputy Leader Ancram calls for Britain to pull out of Iraq

[AGENDA21]

Michael Ancram, the former Conservative deputy leader, has broken ranks with his party to demand that British troops should pull out of Iraq.

Mr Ancram, who was shadow Foreign Secretary when the war broke out, yesterday compared the situation to the war in Vietnam, in remarks markedly at odds with David Cameron's insistence that troops must stay. He said: " If there is a civil war, which all the indications are that there is now, then it is not a place where we should be. We have been there for three years and done a very good reconstruction job, ourselves.

"I believe now ... with the evidence of the civil war very clear, this is the time for us with dignity and honour to get out. If we are not careful we will find ourselves between two or three opposing factions holding the ring and that is not what we went there to do."

A Conservative spoke-sman said Mr Ancram was "entitled to his views" . The party had made it clear it supported remaining in Iraq.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article359456.ece