THREE Kent Labour MPs were among those who defied Tony Blair's Government over war against Iraq last night.

The three backbench MPs, who had previously indicated they would vote against the Government, were Bob Marshall-Andrews, the Medway MP; Derek Wyatt, the Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP and Gwyn Prosser, the Dover MP.

They were among 139 Labour MPs who supported a motion saying the case for war was not proven. However, all of Kent’s remaining Conservative and Labour MPs backed military action, as had been expected.

Mr Marshall-Andrews admitted the prospect of war had left the Labour party bitterly divided and warned there would be “slaughter” in Iraq. “I have never known the Labour party so seriously divided. We have had our own attempts at mass destruction [of the party] over the years and this is very serious,” he said.

However, he defended his stance saying it was important MPs “represented the true feelings of the Labour party in Parliament.”

During the debate, he said: “What concerns my constituents and those throughout the country and the world is the prospect of the uncontrolled, unbridled power now exercised by America, as America chooses and America pleases.

"My constituents perceive, although they would not put in these terms, that we now have a de facto international monarchy—an autocracy that rules by its own version of divine right.”

Many of his constituents were opposed to war because they believed the “that the method is unacceptable,” he added.

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."

Dover MP Gwyn 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.

Faversham and Mid Kent MP Hugh Robertson (Con) who served in the last Gulf war, predicted any offensive would be swift and probably “over in a matter of weeks, ” with the Iraqi forces crumbling quickly.

However, he warned that too little attention had been paid to what would happen once war was over. “The great failing of the Government’s policy over Iraq is that Claire Short has been in denial over war happening and as a result, there has been no planning about the kind of humanitarian aid which will be needed.”

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.

“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," he added.

"In those circumstances, for the international community to walk away from dealing with him is utter folly."