Inquiry into government's war declaration right

Democracy campaign group Charter88 have welcomed The House of Lords Constitution Committees announcement on Thursday that it shall be examining the use of the Royal Prerogative, with particular regard to the Governments ability to go to war without Parliaments approval.

Charter88 co-director Ron Bailey said Charter88 have been campaigning on this issue for a long time, including having a Private Members Bill to this effect introduced in this and the last Parliaments.

Going to war is one of the most important decisions a country can take, but our democratically elected Parliament has no formal right to debate the issue, as the Prime Minister uses the Royal Prerogative to make the decision.

The antiquated Royal Prerogative is more in tune with 15th than 21st Century there is massive support both within Parliament and the public for change.

President George Bush must ask Congress before being able to deploy US troops abroad, while there is no requirement for the British Parliament to even debate the issue.

Although Tony Blair gave Parliament a vote in the run up to the Iraq war, Parliament should have the legal right to make this decision, rather than relying on the Prime Minister of the day respecting parliamentary precedent.

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Note: The Armed Forces (Parliamentary Approval for Participation in Armed Conflict) Bill is a Private Members Bill being sponsored by a cross-party team of MPs including Clare Short (Labour), William Hague, Ken Clarke (Conservative), Sir Menzies Campbell (Lib Dem), Adam Price (Plaid Cymru) and Alex Salmond (SNP). It would require the Prime Minister of the day to obtain Parliaments approval before being able to deploy troops abroad - a clause allows a decision to be made in an emergency, provided Parliament can debate the matter afterward.

Gordon Brown backed the principal behind the Bill in an interview with the Daily Telegraph, see http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/04/30/nbrown30.xml for more details.

Over 180 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion supporting this Bill, making it one of the best supported currently in Parliament.

The House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee called for urgent legislation to close this loophole caused by the Royal Prerogative in the last Parliament.

83% of people in the latest State of the Nation poll (the independent survey carried out by the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust since 1991) and 93% of people in a recent ITV poll backed this change.