PARLIAMENT is to debate Tony Blair’s handling of the war in Iraq for the first time as part of a move by Scottish Nationalists to “impeach” the prime minister.

On Tuesday the House of Commons will debate a motion tabled by Alex Salmond, leader of the Scottish National party, which calls for an inquiry to be set up to investigate Blair’s conduct in involving the country in the war.

Salmond has revived an arcane parliamentary procedure last used successfully against a prime minister in the early 19th century.

But instead of parliament sitting in judgment of the prime minister, as in the original impeachment procedures, Salmond wants a select committee of MPs to be appointed to investigate him.

“This is the first time since the invasion of Iraq that the government can be held to account over this illegal and unwanted war,” said Salmond.

“If the resolution is carried, the prime minister’s position will be unsustainable. He would have to go within days. Even if a large number of MPs vote in its favour, althought it was not carried, it would still put Tony Blair in a very vulnerable situation.”

The text for the motion will be published tomorrow. It is understood that it will be based on an early day motion last November which stated: “This House believes that there should be a select committee of seven members of Her Majesty’s privy council to review the way in which the responsibilities of government were discharged in relation to Iraq in the period leading up to military action in that country in March 2003 and in its aftermath.”

Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the former Tory foreign secretary, said: “I welcome the opposition debate but I’m anxious to have a statement from the prime minister and the foreign secretary as to what exactly their plans are in Iraq. It is a mess that gets worse every month. Do they have proposals to withdraw British troops, and if so what is the timetable and what are they trying to achieve?”

In January General Sir Michael Rose, who commanded the United Nations forces in Bosnia, said Blair should be impeached over the Iraq war. He accused Blair of going to war on what turned out to be “false grounds”.

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