ACCORDING to Hans Blix, progress is being made in the campaign to force Saddam Hussein to come clean about the weapons he has at his disposal.

That proves that the pressure applied by George Bush and Tony Blair is working and must be maintained.

Even the most passionate anti-war campaigners would have to concede that the threat of military action cannot be eased while it appears to be paying off.

But it also means that an attack on Iraq cannot be justified now.

As we have said all along this terrifying route, military action must be under the cloak of the United Nations. That is the case now more than ever.

With France voicing powerful opposition, Russia and China calling for more time, and millions of ordinary people around the world staging anti-war demonstrations today, it would be wrong for Britain to support an attack.

We believe that Tony Blair has already played a crucial role in slowing down the drive towards war, and his ability to put the brakes on George Bush is needed once again.

While weapons inspectors are crawling over Iraq, while the world is looking on, Saddam is not an immediate threat to anyone.

He is a wasp caught in a bottle. While the lid must be kept firmly in place, now is not the time to stick a finger in.