In the wake of the Vietnam war, the US Congress passed the War Powers Resolution to curb the power of presidents to declare war. Today, a member of the British Parliament, Clare Short, attempted to push through a British version due to her discontent over British involvement in the Iraq War:
But Clare Short's efforts were thwarted following a lengthy debate in the House of Commons. Her private bill failed after too few lawmakers voted for it to pass to the next stage and it ran out of parliamentary time.
Short challenged the government's power to authorize military action without the approval of Parliament and insisted lawmakers must be given the right of veto.
"The accountability of the executive to Parliament is a very important democratic principle which should surely be extended to the making of war," said Short, who resigned from her post as international development secretary following the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
Under her proposal, the executive would have to show both chambers of Parliament the case and legal justification for war and receive their backing before committing British troops. A prime minister would still be allowed to take urgent action without approval, but would be forced to withdraw troops if Parliament later rejected the move.
Oddly enough, the bill would be have altered Britian's unwritten constitution because the right to declare war is considered a Royal Perogative that is now exercised for the soverign by the prime minister. The debate highlights the unusual nature of the British constitutional order and begs the question of whether the use of force by a government should be constrained by more than just norms.
But Clare Short's efforts were thwarted following a lengthy debate in the House of Commons. Her private bill failed after too few lawmakers voted for it to pass to the next stage and it ran out of parliamentary time.
Short challenged the government's power to authorize military action without the approval of Parliament and insisted lawmakers must be given the right of veto.
"The accountability of the executive to Parliament is a very important democratic principle which should surely be extended to the making of war," said Short, who resigned from her post as international development secretary following the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
Under her proposal, the executive would have to show both chambers of Parliament the case and legal justification for war and receive their backing before committing British troops. A prime minister would still be allowed to take urgent action without approval, but would be forced to withdraw troops if Parliament later rejected the move.
Oddly enough, the bill would be have altered Britian's unwritten constitution because the right to declare war is considered a Royal Perogative that is now exercised for the soverign by the prime minister. The debate highlights the unusual nature of the British constitutional order and begs the question of whether the use of force by a government should be constrained by more than just norms.
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