British parliamentary approval for the invasion of Iraq Facts for Kids

In March 2003, the British Parliament, specifically the House of Commons, voted to approve the 2003 invasion of Iraq. This decision was made on March 18, 2003, just before the invasion began. The vote gave Tony Blair's government permission to send British forces into military action.

How Britain Decides on War
Steps Before the Vote in 2003
The Big Debate on March 18, 2003
- Charts
See also

How Britain Decides on War

Normally, the British government doesn't need Parliament's direct approval to start a war. This power comes from something called the royal prerogative. It means the King or Queen, advised by the government, can order military action.

However, the idea of going to war in Iraq was very controversial. People debated if it was legal and if it was a good idea for foreign policy. Years before, in 1999, a Member of Parliament (MP) named Tam Dalyell tried to make a law requiring Parliament to vote on military action against Iraq. His idea was not debated because the Queen's permission was needed, and the government advised her not to give it.

Steps Before the Vote in 2003

Before the big vote, the UK and US sent their soldiers to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. This showed that military action was likely. Several discussions were held in Parliament about Britain's plans for Iraq.

On March 17, 2003, US President Bush gave Saddam Hussein an ultimatum. He told Saddam to leave power within 48 hours or face military action. Before this, Parliament had supported using the United Nations to deal with Iraq.

The Big Debate on March 18, 2003

Even though the government could declare war without Parliament's vote, a vote was held on March 18, 2003. This was the first time Parliament had voted on whether to go to war. The vote was "purely symbolic" and didn't legally force the government to act. However, it was important for showing Parliament's view.

The debate lasted all day, from midday until 10 PM. Then, two votes took place.

The main political parties, the Labour Party and the Conservative Party, both wanted to approve the invasion. However, about a quarter of Labour MPs voted against it. The Liberal Democrats, another major party, also opposed the invasion.

If the government had lost the vote, many ministers, including Prime Minister Tony Blair, might have resigned. Tony Blair even hinted in his speech that he would step down if the vote didn't pass.

The government put forward a motion, which is a formal proposal, asking Parliament to support the use of force. This motion said that Iraq had not followed UN rules about weapons and that using force was necessary.

An amendment was also proposed. This amendment suggested waiting for more approval from the United Nations. It said that the reason for war hadn't been fully proven. However, it also pledged support for British forces if fighting did begin.

Parliament voted on this amendment first, at 9:15 PM. The amendment was defeated by 396 votes to 217.

Then, at 10 PM, the original motion (without the amendment) was voted on. It passed with 412 votes for and 149 against. This meant Parliament approved the invasion. The British military operation in Iraq, called Operation Telic, started the very next day.

18 March 2003 That HM Government should use all means necessary to ensure the disarmament of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction Absolute majority: 330/659
Vote	Parties	Votes
Y Aye	Labour Party (254), Conservative Party (146), Ulster Unionist Party (6), Democratic Unionist Party (5), Independent Conservative (1)	412 / 659
No	Labour Party (84), Liberal Democrats (52), Scottish National Party (5), Plaid Cymru (4), Conservative Party (2), Independent Community and Health Concern (1), Social Democratic and Labour Party (1)	149 / 659
Abstentions	Speaker of the House (1), Labour Party (69), Conservative Party (17), Sinn Féin (4), Social Democratic and Labour Party (2), Liberal Democrats (1)	94 / 659
Tellers	Labour Party (3), Conservative Party (1); not counted in vote totals	4 / 659

British parliamentary approval for the invasion of Iraq facts for kids

Contents

How Britain Decides on War

Steps Before the Vote in 2003

The Big Debate on March 18, 2003

Charts

See also