PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice has told his European colleagues that he wants to see a swift end to the conflict in Iraq so the serious work of reconstructing the country can begin.

The Labour back bencher, who defied Tony Blair last month by voting against the war and demanding that weapons inspectors were given more time, addressed the 44 nation Council of Europe meeting in Strasbourg.

He told MPs: "A long drawn out war with mounting civilian and military casualties would make the job of rebuilding post war Iraq a million times more difficult.

"Our troops are facing death and ever-present danger and they deserve our support. They did not ask to be sent to Iraq, but now the war is raging, the only thing that will stop it is the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime.

"War is brutal and the sight of innocent civilians being caught in the crossfire is simply terrible. I want to see the United Nations play the leading role in the post war reconstruction, mobilising all the international organisations to get humanitarian aid and relief to the Iraqi people.

"I have been very concerned indeed at suggestions from US administration that the conflict could be widened to include Syria and Iran. No one wants to see this turn into a wider regional conflict."