THE prime minister is to shun the first major debate on Iraq held in parliament since 2004.

Tony Blair has said he will not attend the Commons session, although it is taking place straight after prime minister’s questions on Wednesday.

His decision has been sharply criticised by the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives, who believe he has a duty to open the debate on behalf of the government.

Instead, he has asked Margaret Beckett, the foreign secretary, to take the lead.

The move comes in the week the government prepares to send an extra battalion of about 500 soldiers to Afghanistan despite fears from senior commanders that the army is overstretched. Blair hopes to head off the criticism by matching extra forces for Afghanistan with reductions in troops in Basra and southern Iraq this spring.

The prime minister’s refusal to expose himself to MPs over the Iraq war has triggered a pull-out by David Cameron, the Tory leader, who claims it would be inappropriate for him to speak unless Blair were there. He is to send William Hague, the shadow foreign secretary, instead.

Liberal Democrat insiders say that last week Sir Menzies Campbell, their party leader, also privately expressed doubts over whether he should attend if the other two leaders were not going to be present, before concluding that he must make a stand.

Yesterday Downing Street sought to play down the row, claiming the prime minister “never” attends such debates initiated by backbenchers.

Blair’s spokesman said: “He won’t be at the debate. He never attends such debates whatever the topic may be. The most important point is that he recently made clear to the Commons he would be making a full statement on Iraq himself, at an appropriate moment soon.”

But his decision will fuel concerns over the diminishing importance of parliament, with many MPs concerned the role of backbenchers is becoming increasingly marginalised.

Since MPs voted to go to war against Iraq on 18 March, 2003, 129 British servicemen and women have been killed in the conflict. According to United Nations estimates, 34,000 Iraqi citizens were killed in 2006.

In a letter urging Blair to change his mind, Campbell argues that the public have a right to hear the prime minister’s views on the issue.

He writes: “This is the first time that there has been a debate on Iraq in government time since July 20, 2004. The British people are entitled to hear your analysis and strategy for withdrawal.”

Although there have been minor debates on Iraq in the Commons since 2004, most recently following the Queen’s speech last year, they have mostly been held in debating time allocated to opposition parties.

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