Portrait of the Week – 14 September 2002

Mr Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, lent his support to President George Bush of the United States in preparing for war against Iraq. Mr Blair flew to Camp David in Maryland for a three-hour meeting with Mr Bush to agree their strategy. On his return he took up an engagement to visit the Queen at Balmoral. In a message for 11 September to the British in New York the Queen said: ‘We honour the courage and determination of those in our armed forces and others who are striving to bring those responsible for this outrage to justice and to prevent similar atrocities in the future. Right must and will prevail.’ A list of 67 Britons killed that day was released by the Foreign Office. A service at St Paul’s Cathedral attended by the Prince of Wales remembered all who had died. In a speech to the Trades Union Congress, Mr Blair laid out the reasons for acting against Saddam Hussein: ‘To allow him to use the weapons he has or get the weapons he wants, would be an act of gross irresponsibility and we should not countenance it,’ he said.