MICHAEL HOWARD was forced to defend a fresh attack on Tony Blair’s handling of the Iraq war last night after a hail of criticism from Cabinet ministers and his own MPs.

The Conservative leader said he had a duty to question the Prime Minister’s tactics on Iraq if he disagreed with them, and renewed his call for Mr Blair to come clean about the disagreements he has with President Bush.

His defence of his attack on Mr Blair in an article in the anti-war Independent newspaper came at the end of a day in which ministers tore into the Opposition leader, accusing him of “playing the cheapest party politics” and endangering the lives of British troops.

Many members of his party, including prominent frontbenchers, also questioned Mr Howard’s judgement at a time when Britain is poised to send more troops to some of Iraq’s trouble spots.

One Shadow minister called it ill-judged, while another called on the leader to decide once and for all whether Iraq was “a party political issue or a national issue”. Another questioned what good it would do the party to challenge Mr Blair over divisions between Britain and the US. “Tony Blair is damaging himself perfectly well enough without us needing to get involved,” he said.

An MP close to Iain Duncan Smith, who never questioned Mr Blair’s handling of the war when he was leader, said it was becoming the hallmark of Mr Howard’s leadership to seek political advantage on any of Mr Blair’s problems, however sensitive the issue.

The former leader is understood to regard the row as the result of clumsy media handling, in particular placing the piece in an anti-war paper which then “spun” the message for its own ends.

However, other Tory MPs said it was time Mr Howard started asking awkward questions of Mr Blair with so many issues unresolved as the June 30 handover looms.

They see no contradiction in backing the war and questioning the Government’s management of diplomacy and strategy.

Other MPs have been rattled by the prospect of significant gains being made by the anti-war Liberal Democrats at next month’s local elections which could threaten their seats at the general election.

The most savage criticism of Mr Howard’s attack came from Cabinet ministers, who discussed the issue at their weekly meeting.

Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, accused Mr Howard of gross opportunism. “This is playing the cheapest of party politics with the morale of our troops on the ground in Iraq,” he said. “It is irresponsible of Mr Howard and if he were in government he would be the last person to suggest that on the issue of Iraq the hour-by-hour discussions we have with our American partners should be played out in public view.”

Geoff Hoon, the Defence Secretary, wrote to Nicholas Soames, the Tory defence spokesman, giving warning that Mr Howard’s call for “megaphone diplomacy” could put the lives of British troops at risk.

“Is the Opposition really suggesting we reveal the details of our sensitive discussions with the Americans over military operations in Iraq?” he asked in his letter. He said this would “inevitably have the effect of weakening our efforts in Iraq”, as well as “potentially endangering our Armed Forces serving in the country.”

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