MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

FIBS Breaking News.

Former Falklands Governors David Tatham and William Fullerton are among a group of former ambassadors who have today published a high-profile open letter to Tony Blair criticising his policy in the Middle East.

They are among 52 diplomatic signatories to the letter in the Independent Newspaper.

It calls the latest US backed Israeli policies one-sided and illegal and criticises the Blair government for backing them.

The diplomats estimate that between 10 and 15 thousand Iraqis have been killed by coalition forces, including many civilians, and say hopes that the coalition could now be involved in setting up a democratic society in Iraq were naïve.

The letter has caused ripples in Parliament. Tam Dalyell, the Father of the Commons, told the Independent: "This is unprecedented. In my 41 years as an MP I have never seen such a move. They can't be dismissed as ex-diplomats; it's a great deal more serious than that."