CANBERRA, Feb 5: Australian Prime Minister John Howard suffered a defeat here on Wednesday in an unprecedented no-confidence vote by the senate over his handling of the Iraq crisis.

The Labour opposition, left wing Greens, Democrats and Independent senators used their upper house majority to pass the motion by 34 votes to 31, following an emotional, 11-hour debate over the looming conflict.

It was the first time in the 102 year history of the Australian parliament that the upper house has censured a serving prime minister with a vote of no confidence.

Howard’s conservative Liberal-National government was also censured in the motion, which condemned its decision to deploy troops to the Gulf without reference to parliament and contrary to public opinion.

Australia and Britain have been the only countries to join the United States in deploying troops to the Gulf in preparation for war in Iraq.

Labour Senate leader John Faulkner moved the motion, saying no explanation had been offered to the Australian people for sending defence personnel to the Middle East.—AFP