Abstract
This chapter charts the post-Cold War academic and policy discussion in Britain on authorising war. The British debate will be put in the context of major military interventions that Britain has been part of, as the academic and policy discussion has been reactive to major events. By 2013, when David Cameron went to Parliament to ask for authorisation to participate in military action in Syria it was widely held in Britain that a new Parliamentary Convention on authorising war had been established. However, as analysts noted, there was much that remained unclear about the convention, for example, the exact scope.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Abouzeid, R. (2011a, March 24). With Syria on the Brink Assad Promises Reform. Time. Available from http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2061288,00.html.
Abouzeid, R. (2011b, March 6). Sitting Pretty in Syria: Why Few Go Bashing Bashar. Time. Available from http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2057067-2,00.html.
Al Jazeera. (2013, November 18). Obama Signs Secret Order to Aid Syria Rebels. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/08/20128264510724249.html.
Amnesty International. (2018). Syria: US-Led Coalition’s Aerial Attacks in Raqqa Killed Hundreds of Civilians. Available from https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/syria-us-led-coalitions-aerial-attacks-raqqa-killed-hundreds-civilians-new-report.
Ball, J. (2012, August 20). Obama Issues Syria a ‘Red Line’ Warning on Chemical Weapons. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-issues-syria-red-line-warning-on-chemical-weapons/2012/08/20/ba5d26ec-eaf7-11e1-b811-09036bcb182b_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.4fd4eeabaec8.
BBC. (2005, May 27). Short in Mandatory War Vote Bid. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4585777.stm.
BBC. (2007a, May 15). MPs Support War-Powers Proposals. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6658161.stm.
BBC. (2007b, July 3). In Full: Brown on Constitution. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6266526.stm.
BBC. (2011, December 17). Dr. David Kelly: Controversial Death Examined. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13716127.
BBC. (2013a). https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21009663.
BBC. (2013b, September 24). Syria Chemical Attack: What We Know. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23927399.
BBC. (2014, November 10). Shaun Ley, How Did the Government Let a Defeat Over Syria Happen. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29985110.
BBC. (2016, August 8). Quentin Sommerville, UK Special Forces Pictured on the Ground in Syria. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-37015915.
BBC. (2018). House of Saud, Producer Michael Radford. Available from https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09m53py.
Blick, A. (2014). Emergency Powers and the Withering of the Royal Prerogative. The International Journal of Human Rights, 18(2), 195–210.
Brown, C. (2006, June 28). Straw to Call for End to Prime Minister’s Royal Prerogative on War. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/straw-to-call-for-end-to-prime-ministers-royal-prerogative-on-war-6096954.html.
Brown, G., & Straw, J. (2007). The Governance of Britain, Green Paper. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/228834/7170.pdf.
Byrne, I., & Weir, S. (2004). Democratic Audit: Executive Democracy in War and Peace. Parliamentary Affairs, 57(2), 453–468.
Cabinet Office. (2011). The Cabinet Manual. Available from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/60641/cabinet-manual.pdf.
Chalmers, M. (2013, August 30). Parliament’s Decision on Syria: Pulling Our Punches. RUSI Analysis. https://rusi.org/commentary/parliaments-decision-syria-pulling-our-punches.
Chappell, B. (2015, September 30). Russia Begins Airstrikes in Syria After Assad’s Request. National Public Radio. Available from https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/09/30/444679327/russia-begins-conducting-airstrikes-in-syria-at-assads-request.
Cook, R. (2003). The Point of Departure. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
Democracy Task Force. (2007). An End to Sofa Government, Better Working of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Available from http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Politics/documents/2007/03/27/DemocracyTaskForce.pdf.
Democratic Audit, The Federal Trust, & One World Trust. (2006). Not in Our Name.
Democratic Audit, The Federal Trust, & One World Trust. (2008). A World of Difference.
Edelman, E. S. (2015, August 27). America’s Dangerous Bargain With Turkey. The New York Times. Available from https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/27/opinion/americas-dangerous-bargain-with-turkey.html?_r=1.
Eyal, J. (2013). Voting for Irrelevance? The UK Parliament Passes Its Verdict. RUSI Newsbrief. Available from https://www.rusi.org/go.php?structureID=articles_newsbrief&ref=A5225CB57962BB#.VWWhpEuvvFI.
France 24. (2018, April 14). A History of the Syria Chemical Weapons ‘Red Line’. https://www.france24.com/en/20180414-syria-chemical-weapons-red-line-obama-macron-assad-russia-usa-france-idlib.
Gaskarth, J. (2016). The Fiasco of the 2013 Syria Votes: Decline and Denial in British Foreign Policy. Journal of European Public Policy, 23(5), 718–734.
Gray, J., & Lomas, M. (2014). Who Takes Britain to War? London: The History Press.
HC. (2011, March 14). Vol 525, Col 38. Available from https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110314/debtext/110314-0001.htm#11031411000731.
HC. (2013, January 31). Vol 557, Col 1059. Available from https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm130131/debtext/130131-0001.htm#13013128000706.
HC. (2014, September 26). Vol 585, Col 1265. Available from https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140926/debtext/140926-0001.htm.
HC Deb. (2007, May 15). Vol 460, Col 481. Available from https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070515/debindx/70515-x.htm.
HC Deb. (2011, February 28). Vol 524, Col 24. Available from https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110228/debtext/110228-0001.htm#11022819000002.
HC Deb. (2011, March 10). Vol 524, Col 1066. Available from https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110310/debtext/110310-0001.htm.
HC Deb. (2011, March 21). Vol 527, Col 700–801. Available from https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110321/debtext/110321-0002.htm.
HC Deb. (2013, August 29). Vol 566, Col 1425. Available from https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm130829/debtext/130829-0001.htm.
HC Written Statement. (2016, April 18). HCWS678. Available from https://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2016-04-18/HCWS678.
HL Deb. (2007, May 1). Vol 691, Col 979. Available from https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200607/ldhansrd/index/070501.html#contents.
Houeix, R. (2018, April 16). A History of the Syria Chemical Weapons ‘Red Line’. France 24. Available from http://www.france24.com/en/20180414-syria-chemical-weapons-red-line-obama-macron-assad-russia-usa-france-idlib.
House of Commons. (2004). Public Administration Select Committee, Taming the Royal Prerogative: Strengthening Ministerial Accountability to Parliament. Fourth Report Session 2003–04, HC 422.
House of Commons. (2008). Public Administration Select Committee First Report, Constitutional Renewal: Draft Bill and White Paper. Tenth Report of Session 2007–08, HC 499.
House of Commons. (2011a). Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, Parliament’s Role in Conflict Decisions. Eight Report of Session 2010–12, HC 923.
House of Commons. (2011b). Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, Parliament’s Role in Conflict Decisions, Further Government Response. Twelfth Report of Session 2010–12, HC 1673.
House of Commons. (2013). Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, Parliament’s Role in Conflict Decisions: An Update. Eight Report of Session 2013–14.
House of Commons. (2014a). Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, Parliament’s Role in Conflict Decisions: A Way Forward. Twelfth Report of Session 2013–14, HC 892.
House of Commons. (2014b). Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, Role and Powers of the Prime Minister. First Report of Session 2014–15, HC 351.
House of Commons. (2015). Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, Revisiting the Cabinet Manual. Fifth Report of Session 2014–15.
House of Lords. (2004). Select Committee on the Constitution, Parliament and the Legislative Process. 14th Report of Session 2003–4, HL Paper 173-I.
House of Lords. (2006). Select Committee on the Constitution, Waging War: Parliament’s Role and Responsibility. 15th Report of Session 2005–06, HL Paper 236-I.
House of Lords. (2007). Select Committee on the Constitution, Waging War: Parliament’s Role and Responsibility, Follow Up. Report 15th Report of Session 2006–07, HL Paper 51.
House of Lords. (2013). Constitution Committee, Second Report, Constitutional Arrangements for the Use of Force. HL Paper 46.
House of Lords, House of Commons (2008). Joint Committee on the Draft Constitutional Renewal Bill, Session 2007–08, HL Paper 166-I HC Paper 551-I.
Jenkins, D. (2007). Constitutional Reform Goes to War: Some Lessons from the United States. Public Law, 258–279.
Jones, G. (2006, February 6). Cameron Seeks to Limit Blair’s Use of Royal Prerogative. The Daily Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1509778/Cameron-seeks-to-limit-Blairs-use-of-Royal-Prerogative.html.
Kaarbo, J. (2018). Prime Minister Leadership Style and the Role of Parliament in Security Policy. The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 20(1), 35–51.
Kaarbo, J., & Kenealy, D. (2016). No, Prime Minister: Explaining the House of Commons’ Vote on Intervention in Syria. European Security, 25(1), 28–48.
Lagassé, P. (2017). Parliament and the War Prerogative in the United Kingdom and Canada: Explaining Variations in Institutional Change and Legislative Control. Parliamentary Affairs, 70(2), 280–300.
Marshall, G. (1985). What Are Constitutional Conventions? Parliamentary Affairs, 38(1), 33–39.
Mazzetti, M., Goldman, A., & Schmidt, M. (2017, August 2). Behind the Sudden Death of a $1 Billion Secret CIA War in Syria. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/world/middleeast/cia-syria-rebel-arm-train-trump.html.
McCormack, T. (2016). The Emerging Parliamentary Convention on British Military Action and Warfare by Remote Control. The RUSI Journal, 161(2), 22–29.
Mello, P. (2017). Curbing the Royal Prerogative to Use Military Force: The British House of Commons and the Conflicts in Libya and Syria. West European Politics, 40(1), 80–100.
Mills, C. (2014). Parliamentary Approval for Deploying the Armed Forces, An Update (Standard Note SN05908). House of Commons Library.
Mills, C. (2018). Parliamentary Approval for Military Action (Commons Briefing Paper 7166). House of Commons Library.
Ministry of Justice. (2007). The Governance of Britain: War Powers and Treaties: Limiting Executive Powers. Cm 7239.
Ministry of Justice. (2008). The Governance of Britain: Constitutional Renewal. Cm 7342-I.
Payne, S. (2008). War Powers the War Prerogative and Constitutional Change. The RUSI Journal, 153(3), 28–35.
Phillipson, G. (2013, September 19). ‘Historic’ Commons’ Syria Vote: The Constitutional Significance (Part I). UK Const. L. Blog. Available at http://ukconstitutionallaw.org.
Reuters. (2011, August 22). Timeline: Libya’s Uprising Against Muammar Gaddafi. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-libya-events-idUSTRE77K2QH20110822.
Reuters. (2018, March 12). Syrian Observatory Says War Has Killed More Than Half a Million. Available from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria/syrian-observatory-says-war-has-killed-more-than-half-a-million-idUSKCN1GO13M.
Schmitt, E. (2016, November 21). ISIS Used Chemical Arms at Least 52 Times in Syria and Iraq, Report Says. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/21/world/middleeast/isis-chemical-weapons-syria-iraq-mosul.html.
Sparrow, A., & Perraudin, F. (2015, December 3). Cameron Wins Syria Airstrikes Vote by Majority of 174—As It Happened. The Guardian. Aavailable from https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2015/dec/02/syria-airstrikes-mps-debate-vote-cameron-action-against-isis-live.
Strong, J. (2014). Why Parliament Now Decides on War: Tracing the Growth of the Parliamentary Prerogative Through Syria, Libya and Iraq. British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 17(4), 1–19.
Strong, J. (2018). The War Powers of the British Parliament: What Has Been Established and What Remains Unclear. British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 20, 19–34.
Sylvester, R., & Thomson, A. (2005, April 30). Brown: I Would Give MPs Last Word on War. The Daily Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1488989/Brown-I-would-give-MPs-last-word-on-war.html.
Taylor, C., & Kelly, R. (2008). Parliamentary Approval for Deploying the Armed Forces: An Introduction to the Issues (Research Paper 08/08). House of Commons Library.
Tempest, M. (2005, August 11). Inquiry to Look at MPs’ Role in Declaring War. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/aug/11/houseofcommons.
UN. (2011, March 17). Security Council 6498th Meeting, SC/10200. https://www.un.org/press/en/2011/sc10200.doc.htm.
UNHCR. (2018). Syria Emergency. Available from http://www.unhcr.org/uk/syria-emergency.html.
Wilson, R. (2004). The Robustness of Conventions in a Time of Modernisation and Change. Public Law (Summer), 407–420.
Wintour, P., & Watt, N. (2015, September 7). UK Forces Kill British Isis Fighters in Targeted Drone Strike on Syrian City. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/sep/07/uk-forces-airstrike-killed-isis-briton-reyaad-khan-syria.
Yougov. (2014). Report on British Attitudes to Defence, Security and the Armed Forces, Survey Results Pages 6–10. Available from http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/document/uv4r28gl4x/B_DEFSEC_2.pdf.
Ziegler, K. (2019). The Use of Military Force by the United Kingdom, the Evolution of Accountability. In The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Foreign Relations Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
McCormack, T. (2019). The Rise of the Parliamentary Convention on Authorising War; a Done Deal or an Uncertain Political Agreement?. In: Britain’s War Powers. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13682-6_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13682-6_3
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Pivot, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-13681-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-13682-6
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)