Norman Baker MP Member of Parliament for Lewes constituency
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BN7 2LJ.
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Lewes MP calls for an end to the use of prime ministerial power to declare war
Lewes MP Norman Baker has today been congratulated by the national democracy campaign group Charter 88 for calling on a new law to be introduced that would oblige the Government to gain parliamentary approval for the use of the country’s armed forces.
The Prime Minister can currently go to war without the support of the House of Commons by using powers he can exercise under the Royal Prerogative.
A Private Members Bill is currently going through parliament to introduce this new law. The Bill is sponsored by a cross-party team of MPs including Clare Short (Labour), William Hague (Conservative) and Sir Menzies Campbell (Lib Dem) and Adam Price/Alex Salmond (PC/SNP) but the Government has not yet declared its support.
Charter 88’s Local Group co-ordinator Ron Bailey said: “It’s great that Mr Baker takes this issue seriously”
Speaking, Norman commented:
“The Royal Prerogative is a relic of the past and in a parliamentary democracy Parliament must have the legal right to sanction the use of armed force by this country.
“The decision to deploy the country’s armed forces is not a matter to be taken lightly. It should be decision that is made collectively in Parliament, not just by the Prime Minister of the day.
“I will do all I can to make sure that this Bill becomes law and ensure that the use of the Royal Prerogative, as a mechanism to authorise the deployment of armed forces, is consigned to the history books.”