No MP vote on Mali conflict after Islington MP forces issue
Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn - Credit: Archant
The government has admitted that MPs won’t be able to vote on British involvement in the Mali conflict, following a question raised in Parliament by Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn.
Commons leader Andrew Lansley said that while ministers would be kept informed of what’s going on, the fighting did not meet criteria set out after the 2003 Iraq War for a formal vote.
The West African country is in the midst of a bitter conflict between French-led troops and Islamist militants, who seized northern Mali last year.
Under current plans, up to 240 British troops could be involved in missions to support the Malian troops for up to 15 months.
Speaking in the Commons last week, Mr Corbyn, MP for Islington North, said: “Could you put down a voteable motion on the increasing deployment of British Armed Forces and their increasing involvement in what could be a very unpleasant, very long drawn out, almost guerrilla-like conflict, in which this country will, inevitably, be sucked in deeper and deeper.
You may also want to watch:
“The precedent was set before the Iraq invasion. It is now the norm in Parliament that the significant deployment of British troops in a war requires the consent of Parliament.”
and I hope you will recognise that and the Government will table an appropriate motion that many of us can debate and express our concerns about the depth of our involvement.”
Most Read
- 1 Jeremy Corbyn on the fuel poverty crisis
- 2 Hundreds arrested after police crackdown on county lines
- 3 Islington Council caretaker charged with rape and aggravated burglary
- 4 Kentish Town teen creates football team to 'bring community together'
- 5 Call for action after scooter filmed riding on Islington pavement
- 6 Islington Council to press ahead with people friendly streets - despite disabled pleas
- 7 Islington eco-festival opens – but what about the Edmonton incinerator?
- 8 Club Curling comes to Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross
- 9 Clerkenwell fire: Margery Street office block blaze under investigation
- 10 Met Office warns of flooding risk with heavy rain set to hit London
Mr Lansley said: “I’m not sure I would take the analogy with Iraq or AfghanistanI think it would be much more the analogy with the situation in Somalia.
