division_name: Military Action Overseas: Parliamentary Approval
motion: <p class="indent" pid="b192.1/2" pwmotiontext="yes">That this House has considered Parliament&#8217;s rights in relation to the approval of military action by British Forces overseas.</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b192.1/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;I may not have succeeded in halting the war, but I did secure the right of Parliament to decide on war.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b193.0/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;once President Trump had announced to the world what he was proposing, a widespread debate was taking place everywhere&#8212;including among many Members of Parliament in the media. However, there was no debate in Parliament.&#8221;&#8212;[Official Report, <phrase class="date" code="2018-04-16">16 April</phrase> 2018; Vol. 639, c. 47.]</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b193.0/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;When the Prime Minister called a Cabinet meeting last week, she should have recalled Parliament.&#8221;&#8212;[Official Report, <phrase class="date" code="2018-04-16">16 April</phrase> 2018; Vol. 639, c. 48.]</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b194.10/2" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;outsourcing that decision to people who do not have the full picture is, I think, quite wrong. And, the convention that was established, I think is very wrong.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b197.0/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;for stronger safeguards to ensure proper collective consideration by the Cabinet on decisions of vital national importance&#8221;&#8212;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b200.1/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;In 2011, the Government acknowledged that a convention had developed in Parliament that before troops were committed the House of Commons should have an opportunity to debate the matter and said that it proposed to observe that convention except where there was an emergency and such action would not be appropriate.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b200.1/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;The exception to the convention is important to ensure that this and future Governments can use their judgment about how best to protect the security and interests of the UK. In observing the convention, we must ensure that the ability of our armed forces to act quickly and decisively, and to maintain the security of their operations, is not compromised&#8230;If we were to attempt to clarify more precisely circumstances in which we would consult Parliament before taking military action, we would constrain the operational flexibility of the armed forces and prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of those forces&#8221;&#8212;[Official Report, <phrase class="date" code="2018-04-18">18 April</phrase> 2016; Vol. 608, c. 10WS.]</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b208.5/4" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;it is important to reserve the right that if there were a critical British national interest at stake or there were the need to act to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe, you could act immediately and explain to the House of Commons afterwards.&#8221;&#8212;[Official Report, <phrase class="date" code="2018-09-26">26 September</phrase> 2014; Vol. 585, c. 1265.]</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b211.7/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;once President Trump had announced to the world what he was proposing, a widespread debate was taking place everywhere&#8212;including among many Members of Parliament in the media. However, there was no debate in Parliament.&#8221;&#8212;[Official Report, <phrase class="date" code="2018-04-16">16 April</phrase> 2018; Vol. 639, c. 47.]</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b211.7/7" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;It is now hard to see how any UK Government could undertake significant military action without the support of Parliament, or indeed of the wider public.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b213.4/4" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;enshrine in law for the future the necessity of consulting Parliament on military action.&#8221;&#8212;[Official Report, <phrase class="date" code="2018-03-21">21 March</phrase> 2011; Vol. 525, c. 799.]</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b213.4/6" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;an urgent need for greater clarity on Parliament&#8217;s role in decisions to commit British forces to armed conflict abroad&#8221;.</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b216.1/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b216.1/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b217.1/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;parliament will be given the opportunity to debate the decision to commit troops to armed conflict and, except in emergency situations, that debate would take place before they are committed.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b218.0/2" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;the raising or keeping a standing Army within the Kingdome in time of Peace unlesse it be with Consent of Parlyament is against Law.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b235.0/2" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b235.2/4" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;It causes us great pain that this assault comes from powerful countries to which Syria did not cause any harm in any way.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="b237.0/2" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;enshrine in law for the future the necessity of consulting Parliament on military action.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="italic" pid="b241.1/5" pwmotiontext="yes">The House divided:</p>
  
  <p pid="b241.1/6" pwmotiontext="yes">Ayes 317, Noes 256.</p>