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Britain should 'force' Mugabe out Mugabe regime 'has no legitimacy'
(about 1 hour later)
Britain and the international community should take "aggressive action" and force President Mugabe from power in Zimbabwe, says Nick Clegg. President Robert Mugabe cannot be the legitimate leader of Zimbabwe now that the opposition has pulled out of an election run-off, David Miliband said.
The Lib Dem leader was speaking after opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's announced that he was pulling out of Friday's presidential run-off. The foreign secretary said Mr Mugabe had used "violence and sadism" to repress voters, and he pledged to raise the issue at the UN Security Council.
Mr Tsvangirai's move hands automatic victory to President Robert Mugabe. Morgan Tsvangirai's withdrawal hands automatic victory to Mr Mugabe.
"Today's announcement must finally be the catalyst for aggressive action against Zimbabwe," said Mr Clegg. Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said Britain should take "aggressive action" and force the regime from power.
Speaking on Sunday Mr Tsvangirai, leader of the MDC, said there was no point running when elections would not be free and fair and "the outcome is determined by... Mugabe himself". Britain must now work with the EU and the UN to draw up immediate measures to force President Mugabe out of power Nick Clegg Mr Miliband told BBC News: "I think that Morgan Tsvangirai was left no choice.
"That's why I believe we have reached an absolutely critical moment in the drive by the people of Zimbabwe to rid themselves of the tyrannical rule of Robert Mugabe.
"It's evident that the only people with democratic legitimacy are the opposition."
Mr Clegg said: "Today's announcement must finally be the catalyst for aggressive action against Zimbabwe."
Britain must now work with the EU and the UN to draw up immediate measures to force President Mugabe out of power Nick Clegg
Speaking on Sunday Mr Tsvangirai, leader of the MDC, said there was no point running when elections would not be free and fair and "the outcome is determined by... Mugabe himself".
And he called on the global community to step in to prevent "genocide".And he called on the global community to step in to prevent "genocide".
Responding to the announcement, Mr Clegg said: "It is a huge disappointment that Robert Mugabe with violence, terror and murder has succeeded in intimidating the MDC out of an election.
"Britain must now work with the EU and the UN to draw up immediate measures to force President Mugabe out of power.
"We must liaise closely with Mozambique and South Africa to restrict electricity supplies into Zimbabwe, to impose a possible petrol embargo and a temporary halt of foreign currency remittances.
"While these measures will hit ordinary Zimbabweans too, they might, if implemented swiftly, succeed where all else has failed to force Mugabe's regime out of power."
The decision to pull out was taken at a meeting of the leadership of the Movement for Democratic Change in Harare.The decision to pull out was taken at a meeting of the leadership of the Movement for Democratic Change in Harare.
The MDC says at least 70 of its supporters have been killed in the run-up to the poll. President Robert Mugabe says the opposition is behind the violence.The MDC says at least 70 of its supporters have been killed in the run-up to the poll. President Robert Mugabe says the opposition is behind the violence.
Speaking before the announcement from Mr Tsvangirai Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for an end to violence by a "criminal cabal" in Zimbabwe.
He said opposition to Robert Mugabe's regime must be allowed to "express its dissent" in free and fair elections.