When do we get to vote for or against war ?

[Arguendo]

A mature view is that the UK has interests in many nations with all sorts of regimes - good, bad and indifferent - and that HMG is protecting the interests of our citizens at home and abroad. Sometimes those interests are more esoteric than it simply being British turf.

 

"It's just about oil, we shouldn't be there" is a very limited and naive view.

 

@Tony; I take your point & agree not all wars evolve around oil, wars/conflicts are fought for a variety of reasons, the Yugoslavian war was fought for humanitarian reasons, I recognise that, North & South Korea are obviously the product of country division post WW2, their current tensions are two opposing ideologies, democracy/communism, the desire to the reunification of a country & what remains now of the cold war. So yes wars are fought for ideologies, religious supremacy, freedom from tyranny & dictatorship, the list goes on, but another reason is the control of natural resources such as oil, one of the most important commodities within the world today.

 

Now taking the example I gave to HM, please explain to me why you feel the US & UK decided on invading Iraq & Afghanistan, why are we attacking Libya, when it’s quite obvious he has immense internal support, & why do we have severe tensions between Iran & Syria, when they obviously pose no threat to the west.

 

The US & the UK are at a difficult junction in their Middle East conquest, the vast majority of public now recognises the lies which were propagated prior to Iraq, they won’t be fooled again, and both governments are now busily attempting to manipulate public opinion in order to attack Libya, Syria, & potentially Iran. The economic & financial problems however & previous lies as well as the now 24hr media coverage are enabling the public to acquire a more informed opinion and as such the general public are now asking more difficult questions, & want governments to justify their intentions, something both governments are uncomfortable with as well as being unable to do.

[Jeffrey Shaw]

You do surprise me.

 

Surely it's 'The Queen in Parliament' who can declare war?

 

(It's a while since I studied Constitutional Law, but I was not aware that the country had reverted to being an absolute Monarchy.)

 

Neville Chamberlain declared war in 1939. That was his right.

 

When did the Monarch re-gain the right?

She has always had it. Even in 1939, the PM needed the King's assent; see "The King's Speech".

Parliament functions only as Her Parliament. It has no inherent right to exist. Laws become laws by receiving Her Assent.

[Harleyman]

She has always had it. Even in 1939, the PM needed the King's assent; see "The King's Speech".

Parliament functions only as Her Parliament. It has no inherent right to exist. Laws become laws by receiving Her Assent.

 

Even if she has the right to declare war I think she'd run up against a brick wall if both political parties soundly opposed it.