TONY BLAIR'S position in the Iraq crisis looked ever more desperate last night, with his party in turmoil and Russia and France refusing to back a second United Nations resolution.

Following Cabinet minister Clare Short's threat to resign, there was more bad news for the Prime Minister yesterday when Russia warned it would veto moves to give Saddam Hussein until March 17 to disarm or face war.

This is the first time that Moscow has explicitly said it would block the resolution in its current form. A vote could happen as soon as today or tomorrow.

Later, French President Jacques Chirac declared that, whatever happened, Paris would also oppose the draft resolution tabled by Britain, the US and Spain. "No matter what the circumstances, we will vote 'no'," he said.

The co-ordinated action by France and Russia was a further bodyblow to Mr Blair, who desperately needs a fresh UN mandate for war if he is to avoid a catastrophic split in the Labour Party.

As the shockwaves from Ms Short's comments about the Prime Minister's "reckless" approach to Iraq continued to reverberate, Downing Street held back from sacking the International Development Secretary. Such a move would give backbench rebels a figurehead.

However, the Prime Minister's official spokesman refused to confirm Mr Blair retained confidence in Ms Short. She has effectively been cast adrift.

Mr Blair's allies, including senior figures in the North-East, went on the attack.

Health Secretary and Darlington MP Alan Milburn said: "What I do find slightly surprising is the fact that Clare chose to raise her concerns not with the Prime Minister face to face, first of all, but with the media.

"I think the timing is odd. Everybody in the Government is working so hard - particularly the Prime Minister himself - to secure precisely the second UN resolution that Clare wants to see."

Peter Mandelson, MP for Hartlepool, called Ms Short's remarks "extremely perplexing".

He said: "I think people will ask why she is choosing to say this, why she is choosing to say it now, in such language. I really can give no explanation for it."

But Vera Baird, a lawyer and Labour MP for Redcar, backed Ms Short.

Ms Baird argued that the earlier resolution on Iraq - 1441 - did not authorise war and to attack using it as justification would be illegal. "If the US and Britain went to war without a second resolution, international chaos would follow," she said.

Mr Blair, meanwhile, told Tonight with Trevor McDonald last night, he was "working flat out for the second resolution".