Maverick Labour MP George Galloway told a rapt audience of peace activists the Government's case for attacking Iraq was collapsing piece-by-piece "like the West Pier."

Mr Galloway, who hit the headlines in April when he was accused of being paid to voice support for Saddam Hussein's regime, said Tony Blair was now conducting a "campaign of deception" to convince the nation the Iraqi dictator harboured weapons of mass destruction.

About 250 people gave the Glasgow Kelvin MP, who has been temporarily suspended from the party, a standing ovation when he addressed a rally organised by Sussex Action for Peace, at the Brighthelm Centre in Brighton.

Mr Galloway, recently nominated for the title of Britain's Most Honest Politician, is on a nationwide tour, putting forward his case for his stance on the Iraq.

He said "Tony Blair's case for invading Iraq is collapsing in the waves like the West Pier.'

"He is not fit to be Prime Minister. I believe this is Tony Blair's Watergate."

He added: "I know he is not telling the truth on Iraq because I saw his lips move while stating his case on television."

Mr Galloway was speaking hours after the Christian Science Monitor retracted allegations that he received payments of more than £6 million from Saddam's regime.

Mr Galloway said all the allegations would be proved false.

He warned that after the war on Iraq, Britain and the US were planning to launch an attack on Iran.

There was laughter when he said: "I better warn you I have never visited Iran and I definitely don't know anybody there."