Britain is considering a compromise UN resolution which will give Saddam a few more days to cooperate with weapons inspectors.

Downing Street said the prime minister "is still confident" he will get a second resolution.

But it conceded there was an acceptance that a last-minute deal could be possible.

"This is a matter which is best left to the discussions at the UN," said the prime minister's official spokesman.

Number 10 has admitted that "all sorts of ideas" were still under consideration.

"The discussions which go on are the same as they were in the run up to resolution 1441," added Number 10.

Iraq is being warned that Britain is not prepared to back down - with sources insisting the central issue was still compliance.

Number 10 stressed that resolution 1441 was not "an a la carte menu from which Saddam Hussein can choose which options to comply with".

Despite French, German and Russian opposition to a war, Britain says it is still confident it can achieve a second resolution.

As diplomatic manoeuvrings continued ahead of tomorrow's report by chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, foreign ministers from the three countries issued a joint statement vowing that "we will not let a proposed resolution pass that would authorise the use of force".

Whilst some reports suggest that Britain and America will call their bluff by forcing through a vote on the second resolution early next week others predict that the UK is prepared to compromise one last time.

Following an anti-war protest by British schoolchildren, the prime minister called on young Europeans to back a military offensive against Saddam Hussein.

Blair recorded a 60-minute question and answer programme for the MTV channel which will be shown in 129 million homes across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

The appeal follows an angry anti-war demonstration by schoolchildren outside Downing Street on Wednesday.

Blair told MPs at PMQs that Saddam Hussein has to comply with the United Nations or leave Iraq if he is to avoid a war.

But he also expressed confidence that the UN would back a second resolution.

Amid growing speculation that the Security Council will block a second resolution, Blair denied he was "hell bent" on military action.

Speaking in the Commons, the prime minister said "it is plain" that Iraq is in material breach of resolution 1441.

He insisted that Saddam had to "disclose and destroy the entire chemical and biological weapons programme".

"Conflict even now could be avoided in one of two sets of circumstances. Either Saddam fully and unconditionally complies...fully and absolutely as we set out," he said.

"The other alternative is that he leaves. But those are the only two ways of avoiding conflict.

"To people who say we are still hell bent on conflict we say today that it can be avoided if he does what the United Nations and the international community demanded he do."

Blair insisted that the UN option was still open and vowed to press for a vote before troops enter Baghdad.

"The exact timing of any vote is a matter still under discussion but yes, of course, it is still the case that if he fails fully to comply there will be a vote in the United Nations," he said.

"There is not a single leader that I have spoken to that disputes that Saddam isn't presently complying," said the prime minister.