PRIME Minister Tony Blair and President George Bush vowed last night not to waiver in their fight to build a free Iraq, despite recent violence that has claimed scores of Coalition lives.

The two leaders, standing side by side in the Rose Garden of the White House, said they would keep their word to the Iraqi people and see the job through.

Mr Blair said: "We will stay there and we will get the job done because that's what we promised to do. We will continue until it's finished."

The two leaders also made it plain they believed Israeli premier Ariel Sharon's recent announcement of a planned withdrawal of Israeli settlements from the Gaza Strip, combined with a determination to reinforce those in the West Bank, did not mark the end of the so-called Middle East peace process road map.

Mr Bush called the initiative a fantastic opportunity, and Mr Blair said it was part of a process that could lead to the road map's goal of two states living peacefully.

The two leaders had talks yesterday morning (US time), followed by lunch at the White House at which they were joined by their wives.

Mr Blair repeated his view that a new United Nations Security Council resolution was needed to help bolster the process of bringing self government to Iraq.

He said the Coalition would "hold absolutely" to the June 30 timetable for handing over power to the Iraqis.

Earlier yesterday, Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy said the Prime Minister must warn Mr Bush about widespread international disquiet over the tactics of US forces in Iraq .

Mr Kennedy also accused Mr Blair of being "precipitate" over Israel's controversial strategy to withdraw from Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

Interviewed on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Kennedy said: "It does beg the question to what extent the British were at all consulted about this rather fundamental switch in American strategy, which apparently now is also a major switch in British strategy."