Robin Cook

Robin Cook has promised that he is "not going to go away'' as he carves out a post-government role for himself.

Speaking on Sunday the former Commons leader, who resigned last week over Iraq, said that he would push for "radical, progressive policies" from the backbenches.

He emphasised that he had no personal quarrel with Tony Blair and would not be behind any bid to unseat the prime minister as Labour leader.

"As I said in my resignation speech, I have no sympathy with and will give no comfort to those who want to use this crisis to attack him [Blair]," he said to the BBC.

"I made it perfectly plain to him that this was not in any way meant to be an attack on him or his leadership."

But Cook hinted that this did not mean he would be acquiescent on all other issues other than foreign affairs whether at home or abroad.

"I'm a Commons man, I'm going to carry on being in the Commons and I hope play a part as a senior figure in the Commons," he said.

"There are a lot of issues that I would wish to address there".

"And also on the international scene, where I retain my position as the president of the party which brings together all the left of centre parties in Europe [the Party of European Socialists]," he reminded viewers.

"So I will have a position both in the Commons and in Europe to comment on how policy is developing."I want to make sure that we continue to develop a radical, progressive agenda."