UK's Iraq role has hurt its global influence: Oxfam

London, Apr 11: Britain's part in the Iraq war has seriously hurt its ability to stop war crimes and human rights abuses elsewhere, Oxfam said today, as a poll showed over half the British public consider the war unethical.

Reviewing British foreign policy during Prime Minister Tony Blair's 10 years in power, the international aid body said Blair's successor widely expected to be Finance Minister Gordon Brown needed to introduce a tough new stance of standing up to Britain's allies if they violate human rights.

It said its workers in war zones around the world were reporting a trend of anti-British sentiment driven by perceived double standards in Britain's foreign policy.

With Blair expected to stand down in the next couple of months his popularity shredded by his dogged support for the US-led war in Iraq the new prime minister needs to make a fresh commitment to the Labour party's vow of ''ethical'' foreign policy, Oxfam said.

Brown, overwhelming favourite for Blair's job, has yet to unveil his foreign affairs strategy. He has remained largely quiet about Iraq, though he voted in favour of sending British troops.

According to a YouGov opinion poll released by Oxfam, 59 per cent of the British public considered Britain's decision to send troops to Iraq was unethical. However 67 per cent said they would support Britain sending troops as a last resort to stop genocide and other atrocities in the future.

The poll of 2,374 people showed most support for Labour's intervention in Kosovo, with nearly half of respondents considering Blair's decision to send troops to stop ethnic cleansing there was an ethical decision.

Citing widespread public anger over Iraq and also Blair's refusal to call for a speedy ceasefire to last year's Lebanon war, Oxfam said the only way for Britain to rebuild its reputation overseas was to act consistently, criticising both its friends and its enemies for violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.

''It is now clear that the invasion of Iraq, and the government's failure to stand up to all governments when they break international law and harm innocent people, have seriously damaged Britain's capacity to be a force for good on the world stage,'' said Barbara Stocking, director of Oxfam.

Oxfam urged future British leaders not to hold back from intervening in looming disasters because of the ''terrible misadventure'' of the Iraq war.

''It must not cause future prime ministers to return to the caution of the previous Conservative government. That administration stood by while the genocides in Bosnia and Rwanda unfolded. We must say 'never again' as much to our failure to stop these atrocities, as to repeating Iraq,'' Stocking said.

Reuters