The Leader of the British House of Commons, Robin Cook, on Monday resigned from Prime Minister Tony Blair's cabinet as the build-up to war with Iraq gathered pace.

Cook's decision came as the cabinet held an emergency meeting in Downing Street.

Downing Street said Cook would make a statement in the House of Commons on Monday evening [UK time].

It also said Foreign Secretary Jack Straw was likely to make a statement to MPs about the Iraq crisis at 1900 GMT.

It was the first ministerial exit over Blair's Iraq policy as the prime minister faced a rebellion within his Labour Party over his handling of the crisis.