Portrait of the Week – 15 March 2003

Britain joined the United States and Spain in tabling an amendment to the draft resolution before the Security Council of the United Nations, reading: ‘Iraq will have failed to take the final opportunity afforded by resolution 1441 unless on or before 17 March 2003 the Council concludes that Iraq has demonstrated full, unconditional, immediate and active co-operation with its disarmament obligations.’ Miss Clare Short became the first Cabinet minister to threaten resignation if Britain went to war without securing a UN vote; to add injury to Mr Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, she accused him of recklessness over Iraq and being ‘reckless with our government, reckless with his own future, position and place in history’. Mr Ron Davies announced that he would not stand again in May for his seat in the Welsh assembly after telling the Sun, which was hounding him, that he had visited Tog Hill near Bath, a place of resort for homosexuals, to watch badgers; ‘I feel badly bruised,’ he said at a press conference.