The foreign secretary has insisted that the war in Iraq was a "just cause".

The comments came as Jack Straw successfully headed off a conference revolt with a strong defence of the removal of the former Iraqi regime.

Whilst he conceded that the war was controversial he insisted it was necessary.

The fact that Saddam Hussein was allowed to oppress his people for "20 years or more must shame us all".

Whilst the picture on the ground was "not satisfactory" the roots of recovery were taking hold.

"I am in no doubt that the fall of Saddam Hussein's brutal regime was a just case," he said.

"The state-sponsored repression of the Iraqi people is now over."

In a speech dominated by Iraq, Straw said Britain had to adopt an "active foreign policy".

And acts of terrorism inside Iraq should "strengthen our resolve to complete our task".

In a call for unity he said: "All of us committed to democracy, freedom and the rule of law can and should join in this higher purpose."

And he said the same sense of purpose should be deployed to tackle the wider Middle East peace process.

He said no dispute "has more profound consequences" for the world.

Despite Straw's strong defence of the war, many rank-and-file members still spoke out on the government's international policy.

Labour MP Alice Mahon, a key opponent of the war, said the situation in Iraq is "a disgrace" which would cost Labour votes.

"We were lied to on weapons of mass destruction," she said.

But receiving a standing ovation for her emotional contribution, Ann Clwyd said she "had supported regime change for 20 years" having seen first hand the human rights abuses carried out under Saddam Hussein.

"The people of Iraq could not have overthrown this regime on their own," the Labour MP said.

For many delegates her passionate contribution restored their faith in the government's foreign policy.

And another MP, Peter Pike, who voted against the war in Iraq, also backed the leadership in saying that neither the prime minister or the foreign secretary "had lied" over Iraq.

In the opening stages of the debate one delegate said the government's case for war "was simply untrue".

"Let's stop this madness now. Let's get back in step with the UK. Let's get our forces out now," he said to applause from the conference floor.

Ahead of the conference debate on the issue, Tony Blair defended his decision to lead the country into war with Iraq.

The prime minister conceded that he may never be able to persuade all his opponents that giving his backing to President Bush was "the right thing to do".

Speaking to BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday morning, Blair accepted that some regarded military action as "just simply and plainly wrong".

But he said he critics should "listen to the voices of the people in Iraq", who have been freed from the rule of Saddam Hussein.

And a delegate from Blair's Sedgefield constituency said that Saddam Hussein had "flouted the will" of the United Nations for too long.

She said the Iraq had been "lifted from tyranny" by the British and US governments.

As defence secretary Geoff Hoon looked on, she said the country should be "humbled" by the dedication of troops still stationed inside the country.

Another delegate said Britain had to get out of Iraq "as quickly as possible".

"In Iraq we have destroyed a country and called it peace," he said

"Let's have the United Nations policing the world and not the United States."

Meanwhile international development secretary Baroness Amos said Iraq was in a better state today despite the conflict.

Whilst she conceded that the war "has created many divisions within our party" she called on people to unite behind the reconstruction effort.

"I understand the concerns of those who were against the war. I visited Basra and Baghdad in July," she told the conference in her first speech since succeeding Clare Short.

"I know that we have a lot to do and that since then the security situation has got worse.

"But whatever side of the Iraq debate you stand on - we have a common purpose.

"We want the people of Iraq to enjoy a brighter future than they did under Saddam Hussein."