POET LAUREATE VERSE ON MOTIVES FOR WAR IN IRAQ

Early day motion 489, tabled 9 January 2003 by Lynne Jones (Labour). Signed by 28 members.

That this House congratulates the Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion, on his verse about the motives for a war in Iraq, Causa Belli, which reads 'They read good books, and quote, but never learn a language other than the scream of rocket-burn. Our straighter talk is drowned but ironclad: elections, money, empire, oil and Dad;' supports the view that maintaining a close relationship with the USA is not a sufficient justification for UK participation in a war against Iraq; notes that a large proportion of the public do not believe that the threat posed by Iraq is sufficiently imminent or grave to constitute a moral basis for war; calls on the Government to be candid about the Causa Belli, meaning the causes, motives or pretexts of war, in relation to Iraq; further notes the comment of the Secretary of State for Defence on 7th January 2002 that there would be a vote in the House when rather than if military decisions have been taken and military action decided on; and calls for a substantive motion on whether there is a moral basis for attacking Iraq to be put to the House before any decision is taken to go to war.

Signatures by party: Labour 22, Liberal Democrat 4, Labour/Co-operative 1, Plaid Cymru 1.