The campaign to impeach UK Prime Minister Tony Blair for misleading parliament and the country over the invasion of Iraq has been taken up at the European Parliament today. Euro-MPs from Plaid Cymru and the Scottish National Party are seeking to gain support for the measure from MEPs. Plaid Cymru and SNP MEPs have tabled a written declaration (similar to an Early Day Motion at Westminster) in support of the impeachment process (text copied below). The motion criticises Tony Blair's conduct in making a flawed case for the war and reasserts the European Parliament's assertion that the war is in contravention of international law. They are also writing to all members of Parliament setting out the case for impeachment.

Plaid Cymru Deputy Leader Jill Evans MEP said:

"Our aim is to build as broad as possible a consensus for holding Tony Blair to account for his conduct over Iraq. People and politicians all over the world were outraged at the misleading statements made by Blair in trying to justify this illegal war. Now we are giving politicians from right across Europe, from whatever party, the opportunity to lend their support to the process of holding him to account.

It is becoming clearer by the day that he has a very serious case to answer and the backing of Euro-MPs will add to the pressure for his impeachment. We need to restore peoples' faith in politics by showing that individuals are accountable - whatever their position."

At the same time, Plaid Cymru the Party of Wales AMs Helen Mary Jones, Leanne Wood, and Dr. Dai Lloyd laid a statement of opinion to the Assembly calling for Parliament to impeach Tony Blair. AM Helen Mary Jones asked MPs today to hold Prime Minister Tony Blair accountable for his illegal war in Iraq, citing 'a failure to be honest' about the reasons for war in Iraq.

These actions follows the launch in Wales of Plaid Cymru's Impeach Blair Tour, which was launched in Cardiff's City Hall on Friday and continues in Aberystwyth next week.

The full text of the Written Declaration tabled in Strasbourg today reads:

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Rule 116 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the military forces of the United States and United Kingdom, and others, invaded Iraq in contravention of international law and without United Nations sanction,

B. whereas the public justification for this action in the United Kingdom were two claims that the Iraqi regime had weapons of mass destruction capable of use within 45 minutes, claims subsequently withdrawn by the UK government,

C. whereas Members from four parties in the United Kingdom Parliament have set in motion an impeachment procedure to hold the British Prime Minister to account,

1. RECOGNISES that the case for war was flawed from the outset and has destabilised an already volatile region, creating a source of global instability for years to come;

2. DECLARES the support of the European Parliament for the impeachment process; and

3. INSTRUCTS its President to forward this declaration, together with the names of the signatories, to the Commission, the Council, and the governments of the Member States as well as the Secretary General of the United Nations, and in so doing reinforce the importance this institution places in the sanctity of International Law.

Diwedd/Ends.