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27-09-2007, 08:10 PM
FOREIGN secretary David Milliband has revealed how he jumped on top of Tony Blair in a desperate bid to stop the invasion of Iraq.
Milliband said he and a group of senior ministers, including Alan Johnson, Hilary Benn and Peter Hain, tackled the former Prime Minister as he tried to push the huge Invasion Button on the wall of his Number 10 study.
The foreign secretary told the Labour conference in Bournemouth: "I stood in his way and said, 'no Prime Minister, you are not going to push the big button'.
"He looked at me with mixture of hatred and affection and said, 'David, we've been through a hell of a lot, you're like the fourth son I never had, but don't make the mistake of thinking I won't kill you'."
He then described how Benn and Johnson grabbed Blair's arms while Peter Hain hit him on the head with a stapler.
Milliband, trembling with fear, then kicked the former Prime Minister in the testicles.
He added: "Blair went down like a sack of spuds and we all piled in on top of him. Peter dug his elbow into the Prime Minister's spine, and Hilary bit him on the nose - but my God he was strong."
Despite being covered in Hilary's Benn's teethmarks, Blair managed to struggle free before dragging himself towards the huge invasion button with Johnson still clinging to his left leg.
"I yelled out, 'Tony, Nooooooo!' But it was too late. He pushed the button and then he turned and winked at me. We all went back to our offices and I ordered a sandwich."
Milliband told the conference that Number 10 was now fitted with two huge invasion buttons 12 feet apart that have to be pushed simultaneously.
Milliband said he and a group of senior ministers, including Alan Johnson, Hilary Benn and Peter Hain, tackled the former Prime Minister as he tried to push the huge Invasion Button on the wall of his Number 10 study.
The foreign secretary told the Labour conference in Bournemouth: "I stood in his way and said, 'no Prime Minister, you are not going to push the big button'.
"He looked at me with mixture of hatred and affection and said, 'David, we've been through a hell of a lot, you're like the fourth son I never had, but don't make the mistake of thinking I won't kill you'."
He then described how Benn and Johnson grabbed Blair's arms while Peter Hain hit him on the head with a stapler.
Milliband, trembling with fear, then kicked the former Prime Minister in the testicles.
He added: "Blair went down like a sack of spuds and we all piled in on top of him. Peter dug his elbow into the Prime Minister's spine, and Hilary bit him on the nose - but my God he was strong."
Despite being covered in Hilary's Benn's teethmarks, Blair managed to struggle free before dragging himself towards the huge invasion button with Johnson still clinging to his left leg.
"I yelled out, 'Tony, Nooooooo!' But it was too late. He pushed the button and then he turned and winked at me. We all went back to our offices and I ordered a sandwich."
Milliband told the conference that Number 10 was now fitted with two huge invasion buttons 12 feet apart that have to be pushed simultaneously.