[Pfc.Green]

BLACKPOOL, England (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned Iraq Tuesday that "action will follow" if it ignored international demands to disarm and let United Nations weapons inspectors back into the country.

Describing President Saddam Hussein ( news - web sites) as an international outlaw, Blair said unless the world faced up to what he said was the threat from Baghdad, it would sooner or later "erupt and engulf us."

"Let it be clear that he must be disarmed," Blair said in a speech to trade unionists at their annual congress.

"Let it be clear that there can be no more conditions, no more games, no more prevaricating, no more undermining of the U.N.'s authority," he added. "And let it be clear that should the will of the U.N. be ignored, action will follow."

"Diplomacy is vital. But when dealing with dictators -- and none in the world is worse than Saddam -- diplomacy has to be backed by the certain knowledge in the dictator's mind that behind the diplomacy is the possibility of force being used."

Pressure for parliament to be recalled from its summer recess grew Tuesday when a member of Blair's own Labor Party launched an almost unheard-of bid to hire the House of Commons for a debate on the subject in the absence of a formal recall.

Blair, who met President Bush Saturday, has been the staunchest international supporter of Washington's plans for possible military action against Saddam. Bush wants Saddam removed from power.