DIPLOMACY having failed, British troops are now risking their lives to topple Saddam Hussein.

God only knows how many innocent Iraqi civilians will perish for this end. The MPs who sanctioned this action (which would have taken place anyway, given the bloody determination of George W. Bush) have been the subject of ferocious criticism.

Particular vitriol has been reserved for those who originally said they would not back war without a a second United Nations resolution. But, when it came to the crunch in the Westminster hothouse on Tuesday evening, changed their minds.

Chief among their number was Clare Short, the International Development Secretary who labelled the Prime Minister "reckless" but still opted to stick with her £70,000 Cabinet job. But there were others, too - including York's Hugh Bayley.

Paul Kind, a member of City of York Labour Party's executive, was upset Mr Bayley's stance had altered in the 11 days since they had last spoken. "This is not Hugh Bayley standing up for York. It is Hugh Bayley lying down for Tony Blair," he said. I would argue that - whatever your opinion of his stance - Mr Bayley showed courage in the way he announced this U-turn.

Not cowardice. Those of you now spitting teeth will be asking how I have reached this conclusion? Well, compare his actions with those of Ms Short.

On Monday, she slid out of Downing Street asking for time to consider her position then - as attention shifted to the size of the Labour rebellion - put out a wildly contradictory statement criticising Mr Blair but saying it would be "cowardly" to quit. Mr Bayley - on the other hand - made sure his decision was known not just to the people of York, but the whole world by becoming the first MP to intervene on Tony Blair's crucial Commons statement.

He was actually at pains to advertise he had undergone a major policy shift, saying: "I took the view that Britain should not engage in military action without a second resolution, but the decision of some members of the Security Council to back away from the commitment that they gave in November to enforce resolution 1441 has made me change my mind."

His alternatives were to abstain, or vote with the Government and quietly disappear from the media spotlight until the bombing had started and the news cycle had moved on. Plenty did. But he chose to say it in the most public way possible and that commands as much respect as those Labour MPs forced by conscience to defy the Government for the first time in their life. He later told me he would have to live with the decision for the rest of his life, but he had been forced to pick the lesser of two evils. Not a position I should like find myself in.

One of those who voted against Tony Blair for the first time was Selby's John Grogan, who was first elected in 1997. He, too, deserves a similar pat on the back for standing up and being counted - probably scuppering his chances of becoming a Minister in the process. Government whips like MPs to keep their noses clean, not display a soul. But he was unflinching in his reasons for defying party managers.

He said: "Tony Blair has made a superhuman effort to keep the US within the UN process. "My own view is that when it came to the crunch in the last few days our Government should have demanded greater concessions from the US in return for continued British support."

So, while not all MPs emerged from this week's political manoeuvering with credit - and Clare Short is now surely a busted flush - my view is that ours did.

Updated: 10:16 Friday, March 21, 2003