Many of the key figures at Saturday's anti-war protest gave their views to ePolitix.com.

US civil rights campaigner Jesse Jackson said he was optimistic that war could be avoided.

"We are at the point of no return but they keep moving the fence back," he said.

"The American government wants to divert attentions from problems at home to a war that no-one wants."

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy said: "I do not believe the Iraq issue is going to be helped by tens of thousands of people being killed by military action. The number of people here is very, very significant. The arguments for war have been inconsistent and contradictory."

Mark Seddon, editor of Tribune and member of the Labour Party's national executive, warned a conflict could bring massive problems for the prime minister.

"If Tony Blair takes us to war with America it could go the same way for him as it did for Anthony Eden with Suez.

"He risks breaking the Labour Party and the government over a massive gamble on foreign policy. He also risks a major rift with Europe," said Seddon.

Labour MP Diane Abbott was happy to be out of step with the Labour leadership.

"I'm not going to be popular with the leadership but I'm going to be popular with people in Hackney. They are against this war. Yes it's important to disarm Saddam Hussein but it's not for America to decide the how and the when."

Fellow Labour MP George Galloway said: "I hope Mr Blair will step back from the cliff. I have a feeling he might. We're less likely to go to war today than we were yesterday and even less likely than the day before that."

Film director Tim Robbins said: "If they choose to ignore the voices of expressing their wish in a democratic way, there will be consequences. Leaders have to come up for election."

Bianca Jagger said: "The turnout is tremendous. It is not in our name that this war will be fought. People want Tony Blair to listen loud and clear. Now the question is will prime minister Blair listen to the British people or fall in behind George Bush? History will judge whether he adheres to the values for which he became prime minister."