Tony Blair is potentially throwing away career by following his conscience. That is a true ally. A country ruled by a man who does not only what he believes is right, but does it when his own party is against him.

He served notice that he would defy scores of Labour MPs and millions of voters as he dismissed the idea that America could go it alone.

He said for the first time that Britain and America already had legal authority for attacking Iraq. And he implied that if the UN could not bring itself to enforce its will, others would have to do so.

Within hours of Mr Blair’s remarks, there were strong indications that Britain’s struggle to win a majority in the Security Council for authorising war is close to failure — leaving war likely within days

It appeared earlier today that Labour will look for ways to oust him and the Tories would let it happen. But maybe not.

The arithmetic in New York appeared to be going against Mr Blair and President Bush. A senior British diplomat told The Times: “I fear that we’re not going to make it.” There were signs, however, that the mood in the Parliamentary Labour Party was beginning to shift in Mr Blair’s favour after an impassioned meeting at which the behaviour of hardline rebels calling for his removal was condemned.

Just as polls in this country have increasingly shown the majority of Americans siding with Bush, perhaps the British people are changing views. What is Mr. Blair's character?

A close associate of Mr Blair said: “Some people saw Rumsfeld’s words as an exit strategy for him. He was not looking for one.” In his most direct promise yet that he would go without the UN, he told a Tory MP: “It would be a tragedy if the UN, when faced with this challenge, fails to meet it. We have to make sure that the unified will set out in 1441 is implemented.”

As I mentioned last night, he definitely had an out and was strong enough to not take it.