Paul Flynn's 2009 Iraq speech is not allowed to be repeated in Parliament

Paul Flynn told the House of Commons this afternoon, that he is not allowed to repeat the speech he made to the House of Commons on March 25th 2009. In the speech Mr Flynn simply read out the names of the British soldiers who were killed during the war, and subsequent occupation  in Iraq. As it is no longer allowed in the Commons, I have taken the decision to publish it here:

Paul Flynn (Newport, West) (Lab): "We could not have stopped the war in Iraq, as it was predetermined, but what we could and should have done is stopped Britain’s involvement in it. I believe that we, as Members of Parliament, should now confront that dreadful mistaken decision. The most insistent voices calling for an inquiry are those of the loved ones of the fallen. They want to believe that their loved ones died in a noble cause. Many of them are haunted by the possibility that their loved ones died in vain.

Perhaps the most appropriate way that we can face up to the results of our decisions would be now to recall and honour the names of the fallen: 

• John Cecil
• Llywelyn Evans
• Philip Stuart Guy
• Sholto Hedenskog 
• Les Hehir 
• Ian Seymour 
• Mark Stratford 
• Jason Ward 
• Philip Green
• Antony King 
• Marc Lawrence 
• Philip West 
• James Williams 
• Andrew Wilson 
• Kevin Barry 
• David Rhys Williams 
• Luke Allsopp 
• Simon Cullingworth 
• Steven Roberts 
• Barry Stephen 
• Stephen Allbutt
• David Clarke 
• Matty Hull 
• Steve Ballard 
• Christopher Maddison 
• Shaun Brierly 
• Chris Muir
• Alexander Tweedie 
• Karl Shearer 
• Kelan Turrington 
• Ian Malone 
• Christopher Muzvuru 
• James McCue 
• Andrew Kelly 
• Duncan Pritchard 
• David Shepherd 
• Leonard Harvey 
• Simon Hamilton-Jewell 
• Russell Aston 
• Paul Long 
• Simon Miller 
• Benjamin Hyde 
• Thomas Keys 
• James Linton 
• Jason Smith 
• David Jones 
• Matthew Titchener 
• Colin Wall 
• Dewi Pritchard 
• Russell Beeston 
• John Nightingale 
• Ian Plank 
• Ryan Thomas 
• James Stenner 
• Norman Patterson 
• Andrew Craw 
• Vincent Windsor 
• Robert Thomson 
• Richard Ivell 
• Gordon Gentle 
• Kristian Gover 
• Christopher Rayment 
• Lee O’Callaghan 
• Marc Ferns 
• Paul Thomas 
• Stephen Jones 
• Marc Taylor 
• David Lawrence 
• Kevin McHale 
• Denise Michelle Rose 
• Stuart Gray 
• Paul Lowe 
• Scott McArdle 
• Pita Tukutukuwaqa 
• Paul Connolly 
• Patrick Marshall 
• David Stead 
• Andrew Smith 
• Paul Pardoel 
• Gary Nicholson 
• Richard Brown 
• Mark Gibson 
• Robert O’Connor 
• David Williams 
• Steven Jones
• Mark Dobson 
• Anthony John Wakefield 
• Alan Brackenbury 
• Paul William Didsbury 
• Richard Shearer 
• Leon Spicer 
• Phillip Hewett 
• Donal Anthony Meade 
• Stephen Robert Manning 
• Matthew Bacon 
• Ken Masters
• Chris Hickey 
• John Jones 
• Allan Douglas
• Gordon Alexander Pritchard 
• Carl Smith 
• Richard Holmes 
• Lee Ellis 
• Richard Palmer 
• John Coxen 
• Darren Chapman 
• David Dobson 
• Sarah-Jayne Mulvihill 
• Paul Collins 
• Joseva Lewaicei 
• Adam Morris 
• Tom Mildinhall 
• Paul Farrelly 
• John Johnston Cosby 
• Matthew Cornish 
• Samuela Vanua 
• Stephen Robert Wright 
• Lee Thornton 
• Dennis Brady 
• Tom Tanswell 
• Jamie Lee Hancock 
• Lee Hopkins 
• Sharron Elliott 
• Ben Nowak 
• Jason Hylton 
• Jonathan Hollingsworth 
• Graham Hesketh 
• Wayne Rees 
• Alex Green 
• Michael Tench 
• Jonathan Carlos Bracho-Cooke 
• Luke Daniel Simpson 
• Daniel Lee Coffey 
• Johnathon Dany Wysoczan 
• Kingsman Wilson 
• Aaron Lincoln 
• Joanna Yorke Dyer 
• Kris O’Neill 
• Eleanor Dlugosz 
• Adam James Smith 
• M.L. Powell 
• Mark J. McLaren 
• Ben Leaning 
• Kristen Turton 
• Alan Joseph Jones 
• Paul Donnachie
• Nick Bateson 
• Kevin Thompson 
• Jeremy Brookes
• Rodney Wilson 
• James Cartwright 
• Paul Harding
• John Rigby 
• Paul Joszko
• Scott Kennedy
• James Kerr 
• Edward Vakabua 
• Ryan Francis 
• Christopher Read 
• Matthew Caulwell 
• Christopher Dunsmore 
• Peter McFerran 
• Timothy Darren Flowers 
• Steve Edwards 
• Craig Barber 
• Martin Beard
• Chris Casey 
• Kirk Redpath
• Eddie Collins 
• Mark Stansfield
• Sarah Holmes 
• Lee Fitzsimmons 
• John Battersby 
• Duane Barwood
• David Kenneth Wilson 
• Lee Churcher
• Ryan Wrathall

May they rest in peace."

Full list of Noe voters in the Iraq debate

Full list of the Noe votes in division on taking action against ISIS in Iraq here:

Conservative Party (6)
Richard Bacon
John Baron
Gordon Henderson
Adam Holloway
Nigel Mills
Mark Reckless

Labour Party (24 and teller)
Diane Abbott
Graham Allen
Anne Begg
Ronnie Campbell
Martin Caton
Katy Clark
Ian Davidson
Paul Flynn
Stephen Hepburn
Kate Hoey
Kelvin Hopkins
Sian James
Mark Lazraowicz
John McDonnell
Iain McKenzie
Austin Mitchell
Grahame Morris
George Mudie
Linda Riordan
Barry Sheerman
Dennis Skinner
Graham Stringer
Mike wood
Jeremy Corbyn (Teller)

Plus:
Rushanara Ali (Formal abstention)

Liberal Democrat Party (1)
Dr Julian Huppert

Green Party (1)
Caroline Lucas

Scottish National Party (5 and teller)
Stewart Hosie
Angus Roberton
Mike Weir
Dr Eilidh Whiteford
Angus Brendan McNeill
Pete Wishart (Teller)

Plaid Cymru (2)
Jonathan Edwards
Hywel Williams

Respect (1)
George Galloway

Social Democratic & Labour Party (3)
Mark Durkan
Alasdair McDonnell
Margaret Ritchie

Government's legal position for action in Iraq

The Government have released their legal position for airstrikes in Iraq, the summary is below:

1. This note sets out the Government's position on the legal basis for the deployment of UK forces to take military action to strike ISIL sites and military strongholds in Iraq. UK action would be part of the international US-led effort requested by the Government of Iraq on 20 September 2014. 

2. ISIL's brutal actions in Iraq and elsewhere constitute a large-scale attack on the people and Government of Iraq, which has involved the seizure of control of large tracts of Iraqi territory, indiscriminate violence against civilians, the displacement ofthousands, and has caused immense suffering to the people of Iraq and the region

3. International law is clear that the use of force in international relations is prohibited, subject to limited exceptions. 

4. However, international law is equally clear that this prohibition does not apply to the use of military force by one State on the territory of another if the territorial State so requests or consents. 

5. It is clear in this case that Iraq has consented to the use of military force to defend itself against ISIL in Iraq. 

6. For several months, Iraq has made clear that they want support from the international community to defeat ISIL and protect Iraq's people and territory. In August, Iraq specifically requested and received UK military assistance in support of humanitarian efforts. 

7. By a letter dated 20 September 2014 to the President of the UN Security Council the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq sought additional international support and assistance for the specific purpose of fighting ISIL. Setting out the background of the threat posed by ISIL, its gratitude for international help provided so far and the need to respect Iraqi sovereignty, Iraq made a request for further military action in the following terms: 

It is for these reasons that we, in accordance with international law and the relevant bilateral and multilateral agreements, and with due regard for complete national sovereignty and the Constitution, have requested the United States of America to lead international efforts to strike ISIL sites and military strongholds, with our express consent. The aim of such strikes is to end the constant threat to Iraq, protect Iraq's citizens and, ultimately, arm Iraqi forces and enable them to regain control of Iraq's borders.

8. The Government is satisfied that the consent of Iraq in these terms provides a clear and unequivocal legal basis for the deployment of UK forces and military assets to take military action to strike ISIL sites and military strongholds in Iraq. 

9. The UK will conduct military action in accordance with applicable international law, including international humanitarian law.

Government publish Iraq motion

Following this afternoons Cabinet meeting the Government have published the motion for debate in the House of Commons before MPs vote on whether to take military action against ISIL in Iraq.

Here is the motion in full:

That this House: 

Condemns the barbaric acts of ISIL against the peoples of Iraq including the Sunni, Shia, Kurds, Christians and Yazidi and the humanitarian crisis this is causing; 

Recognizes the clear threat ISIL pose to the territorial integrity of Iraq and the request from the Government of Iraq for military support from the international community and the specific request to the UK Government for such support;

Further recognizes the threat ISIL poses to wider international security and the UK directly through its sponsorship of terrorist attacks and its murder of a British hostage; 

Acknowledges the broad coalition contributing to military support of the Government of Iraq, including countries throughout the Middle East; 

Further acknowledges the request of the Government of Iraq for international support to defend itself against the threat ISIL poses to Iraq and its citizens, and the clear legal basis that this provides for action in Iraq;

Notes that this motion does not endorse UK air strikes in Syria as part of this campaign, and any proposal to do so would be subject to a separate vote in Parliament;

Accordingly supports Her Majesty’s Government, working with allies, in supporting the Government of Iraq in protecting civilians and restoring its territorial integrity, including the use of UK air strikes to support Iraqi, including Kurdish, security forces’ efforts against ISIL in Iraq; 

Notes that Her Majesty’s Government will not deploy UK troops in ground combat operations; 

Offers its wholehearted support to the men and women of Her Majesty’s armed forces.

The debate will be opened at 11:30 by the Prime Minister, David Cameron, responded to by the Leader of the Opposition, Ed Miliband, and closed by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Harriet Harman, and by the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, for the Government. The Division will be at 17:00.

More UK aid flights into Erbil deliver food and essential kit for aid workers

Two more UK aid flights carrying emergency food and tents for displaced Iraqi families and essential kit to ensure aid workers can distribute supplies quickly and safely have now departed Dubai for northern Iraq, International Development Secretary Justine Greening said this morning.

This brings to six the total number of Department for International Development-chartered cargo flights into the Iraqi city of Erbil delivering aid supplies for people cut off from their homes and living in makeshift camps across the Dahuk region of northern Iraq. One of last night’s flights was carrying 515 tents that will provide shelter for 2,575 people. The other was carrying the following load on behalf of the World Food Programme (WFP):

• 17 tonnes of “Plumpy’Doz”, a high-nutrition supplementary food;
• Three WFP Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles, for the safe transportation of WFP humanitarian workers; and
• Body armour for WFP humanitarian workers.

Justine Greening said: "Britain has been airlifting emergency supplies to thousands of Iraqi families who have lost everything and are in desperate need of basics such as food and shelter. These latest UK aid flights into Erbil will provide enough food to support 12,100 children for a month. They are also delivering vital kit in the form of body armour and vehicles to enable humanitarian workers to do their life-saving work quickly and safely. We can be proud of the UK’s swift action and ongoing support in response to the humanitarian crisis in northern Iraq."

Today’s flights follow four other UK aid flights to Erbil:

Saturday 16 August
Two flights landed in Erbil carrying almost 8,000 kitchen sets, meaning almost 40,000 people who have to queue at makeshift canteens will be able to cook for themselves and feed their families.

Tuesday 19 August
Two more flights landed in Erbil on Tuesday, one carrying 45 tonnes of highly nutritious peanut-based food from the World Food Programme to assist the nutritional needs of 32,000 children for a month, and another carrying 515 family-sized tents to provide shelter now and through the winter months for 2,575 people.

There are now approximately half a million displaced people in the Dahuk area, which represents almost half of the total original population. Many of the displaced Iraqis arriving in the region have travelled for days without food and water in high temperatures and face the prospect of living in makeshift refugee camps as winter approaches.

UK aid flights depart from Dubai, the location of DFID’s aid stockpile in the region, and the East Midlands, which is close to its main UK-based aid warehouse in Kemble, Gloucestershire. Both Dubai and Kemble are key hubs that store life-saving support and allow the UK to deploy aid at very short notice. 

The UK has so far committed £13 million in new assistance in response to the crisis in Iraq. In addition to DFID’s six aid flights into Erbil, the Royal Air Force (RAF) made seven successful air drops of UK aid over Mount Sinjar including water containers, solar lamps and shelter kits.