Mr Tony Blair is focused on obtaining a second UN resolution on Iraq despite a threat by International Development Secretary Clare Short to resign, his spokesman said today.
Mr Blair spoke "briefly" to the outspoken Cabinet minister last night and this morning following her comments on BBC radio.
Ms Short had suggested that the British prime minister's handling of the crisis had been "reckless" and said she would resign if he took Britain to war without UN backing.
Asked whether he thought it was appropriate for a cabinet minister to describe the Premier as reckless, Mr Blair's spokesman said: "The Prime Minister spoke to her [Ms Short] briefly last night and he spoke to her briefly again this morning. But his focus remains resolutely on getting a second resolution".
Mr Blair spent the weekend phoning world leaders to try and secure support for the US-British-Spanish resolution and would continue doing so today, the spokesman said.
He added: "The core of our approach remains the Hans Blix report to the UN on Friday and, in particular, the clusters document [that lists evidence of Saddam not complying]".
The key was that Saddam had to comply with resolution 1441, the spokesman said.
He added: "We still don't have the answers to the questions - where is the mustard gas, where is the VX [mustard gas], where is the anthrax?"
Saddam had to choose between disarmament and exile, the spokesman said. "This time is different. This time, there is no escaping the two options of either disarmament or going into exile," he said.
PA