THE decision by West Devon and Torridge MP John Burnett last week to abstain in the Government vote on war with Iraq saw him break ranks with his party.

Fifty-two of the 53-strong Liberal Democrat MPs in the Commons voted against the motion supporting the Government decision to ?use all means necessary to ensure the disarmament of Iraq?s weapons of mass destruction?.

But Mr Burnett defied a three-line whip and refused to join his Liberal Democrat colleagues in the ?No? lobby.

Instead, he joined more than 60 MPs from all parties, including leading Devon Conservative MP Angela Browning, who abstained on the main motion.

In the Commons debate Mr Burnett, a former Royal Marines troop commander, said he could not vote against a motion that offered support to Britain?s armed forces on duty in the Middle East.

But he said there were matters in the Government motion that he did not agree with, particularly the proposition that the earlier UN Resolution 678 authorised force. Military action should not take place without a mandate from the UN Security Council, he said.

?I strongly believe in world order, the reverse of which is anarchy and chaos,? he said.

Mr Burnett added that he would in no circumstances do anything he considered would undermine British forces.

When challenged by a Tory MP to state how he would vote on the Government motion, Mr Burnett replied: ?I shall make my position quite clear. I shall probably have to resign.?

This statement led to him crossing swords with Foreign Secretary Jack Straw who described it as an ?absolute gem? and said Mr Burnett had ?turned on his head? and ?span around?.

Mr Burnett retorted: ?I am surprised that the Foreign Secretary plays games on such a serious occasion.?

Mr Burnett earlier voted in favour of the main amendment. This stated that the case for war against Iraq had not yet been established, especially given the absence of specific UN authorisation, but also expressed ?total support? for British forces in the Gulf.

Liberal Democrat chief whip Andrew Stunell said the party would not take disciplinary action against Mr Burnett for defying the whip. Mr Burnett had made his fellow MPs aware of how he would vote. ?There is a lot of respect for John?s views on this,? said Mr Stunell.