THREE of the county's Labour MPs are poised to defy their Government over war against Iraq in a crucial vote tonight.

The three backbench MPs who have indicated they will vote against the Government are Bob Marshall-Andrews, the Medway MP, Derek Wyatt, the member for Sittingbourne and Sheppey, and the Dover MP Gwyn Prosser.

However, all of Kent’s remaining Conservative and Labour MPs are expected to back military action in the crucial vote.

Derek Wyatt, who has consistently voted against the Government on the issue, said he would stick to his principles. He said: "It is not about not being patriotic. Our foreign policy should not be dictated by America.

"I don't dispute that Saddam Hussain is a tyrant any more than Slobodan Milosovic or Ariel Sharon are, but we don't seem to have the same views on them. We said we would go back for a second resolution. So much for democracy."

Mr Prosser said he no longer felt able to support his Government. “Everyone agrees Saddam should be disarmed and his people liberated from his regime but war should be a last resort and should carry the legitimacy of a United Nations second resolution,” he said.

He accepted the front bench resignations over the issue would damage the Government but only in the short term.

Gillingham Labour MP Paul Clark, a parliamentary private secretary, said Saddam Hussein had been given every opportunity to comply with the United Nations’ resolution.

“Nobody in the United Nations believes that Saddam’s regime is a decent regime and nobody believes he has complied with the previous UN resolution. The alternative is burying our head in the sand and giving him more time.”

He, too, accepted the high-profile resignations had been damaging.

Dr Steve Ladyman, Labour MP for Thanet South, said he would support the Government.

He said: "There is no question that Saddam has weapons of mass destruction and there is no question that torture and oppression are routine parts of the way he runs Iraq. In those circumstances, for the international community to walk away from dealing with him is utter folly,” he said.

MPs are due to vote at about 10pm tonight. If 165 Labour MPs come out against war, the Prime Minister will have to rely on the Tory party to win the vote backing military action.