Downing Street Says » Parliament vote on war

» Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Parliament vote on war

Put that Jack Straw had said that in the future, governments would not declare war without a vote in Parliament, and was that now a Government policy, the PMOS replied that was not quite what Jack Straw had said. The Prime Minister had set this out in the Commons at PMQs, and where possible, governments did consult Parliament. There were circumstances where very quick action was needed, or where the element of surprise needed to be retained. In those circumstances, clearly, it was not always possible to consult Parliament.

Asked if there could be a blanket rule on consulting Parliament, the PMOS replied that in military terms, there was sometimes a necessity and sometimes an advantage in retaining the element of surprise.

Asked if the Prime Minister would be happy to see an end to the arms race on party funding and to huge spending on campaigning, the PMOS said that the important thing was that there was a consensus, as Jack Straw said. Therefore, the best way to try and get that consensus was Sir Hayden Phillips’ committee, and Mr. Straw had said that he would put in his proposals.

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