No decision yet on UK troops redeployment

"No, a decision has not been taken," Blair told parliament in a stormy question-and-answer session in which he was repeatedly quizzed as to the reasons for the possible deployment.

Blair insisted it had nothing to do with close ally Bush's prospects in the US presidential election on November 2.

"This is nothing to do with the American elections. It has everything, however, to do with the Iraqi elections in January," Blair said.

The prime minister was due later Wednesday to meet with Iraqi interim Vice President Rowsch Shaways.

On Monday, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon announced that US generals had asked for some British troops to fill in for American forces as they battled insurgents elsewhere in the country.

It has not been revealed where the British personnel might be sent, but a series of reports have pointed to violence-wracked towns close to Baghdad.

Some politicians have expressed concern about increased casualties among British forces, who are currently based in the less violent southern Iraqi city of Basra.

Concern has been deep among deputies from Blair's own Labour Party, many of whom opposed the premier's decision to support the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.

Blair was pressed Wednesday as to why the United States, which has more than 130,000 troops in Iraq, needed help from Britain, with only 8,500 in the country.

Labour lawmaker Marsha Singh urged him Wednesday to refuse the US request, saying that the "hole dug over Iraq is big enough".