Chris Smith: War critic and former cabinet minister

Labour MPs have lined up to raise their concerns about a pre-emptive war on Iraq.

Speaking in the Commons, Tony Blair faced a barrage of questions from backbenchers who are unconvinced at his stance against Saddam Hussein.

The chairman of the foreign affairs select committee, Donald Anderson, warned that the case against Saddam "remained unproven".

Former culture secretary Chris Smith told the prime minister that he could "absolutely understand" the need to support the US.

But he said the role of a "true friend" in the current circumstance was "to be candid" about the risks of war.

"The evidence is not yet compelling, the work of the inspectors is not yet done and the moral case for war with all its consequences has not yet been made," he said.

Cardiff Central MP Jon Owen Jones questioned the threat of weapons of mass destruction falling into the hands of terrorists and argued a war in the Middle East would bring further antagonism.

"Do we end up in a world that is more threatened by terrorism than less?" he asked.

Blair said he understood why "people worry when we take a strong profile on an issue like this".

"The terrorists will strike at us whenever and wherever they can. These terrorists won't leave us alone if we are kind to them," he added.

Former minister Joyce Quin welcomed Blair's "huge efforts" to work through the UN.

But she also asked for reassurance that the timing of the "renewed push" was not driven "by the political agenda of President Bush".

Tony Lloyd, a former Europe minister, accepted that Saddam's regime was "clearly odious" - but was not persuaded that Iraq posed a severe threat.

The concerns came ahead of tomorrow's full debate on Iraq.

Speaking on Monday, Commons leader Robin Cook said MPs who vote with the government should not believe they are backing a war.

He said the government's motion simply reaffirmed its commitment to a UN solution to the Iraq crisis.

Cook denied that the text was "a trap" to bounce MPs into supporting war.

"It is not an attempt to secure by subterfuge any support for military action," he told MPs.

The cabinet minister, who himself is known to have doubts about a conflict, said there was no "underhand plan" to dupe the Commons.

Cook also signalled that the government still intended to offer MPs a further vote on war should military action go ahead.

"There will be another opportunity to debate the matter and to express a view on the matter," he added, without saying whether it would come before or after the commencement of hostilities.