Early day motion tabled by primary sponsor Lynne Jones (Labour), on Thursday, 9 January 2003, in the House of Commons. It is signed by 28 members in total.

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POET LAUREATE VERSE ON MOTIVES FOR WAR IN IRAQ

That this House congratulates the Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion, on his verse about the motives for a war in Iraq, Causa Belli, which reads 'They read good books, and quote, but never learn a language other than the scream of rocket-burn. Our straighter talk is drowned but ironclad: elections, money, empire, oil and Dad;' supports the view that maintaining a close relationship with the USA is not a sufficient justification for UK participation in a war against Iraq; notes that a large proportion of the public do not believe that the threat posed by Iraq is sufficiently imminent or grave to constitute a moral basis for war; calls on the Government to be candid about the Causa Belli, meaning the causes, motives or pretexts of war, in relation to Iraq; further notes the comment of the Secretary of State for Defence on 7th January 2002 that there would be a vote in the House when rather than if military decisions have been taken and military action decided on; and calls for a substantive motion on whether there is a moral basis for attacking Iraq to be put to the House before any decision is taken to go to war.

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Secondary information

Type

Early day motion

Reference

489 

Session

2002-03

Subjects

Armed conflict Iraq Public opinion Parliamentary scrutiny

Link

View this Early day motion on www.parliament.uk