Who Takes Britain to War?

How does Britain decide to go to war? And how should she?

The long-standing Parliamentary convention known as the "Royal Prerogative" has always allowed Prime Ministers to take the country to war without any formal approval by Parliament. The dramatic vote against any military strike on Syria on August 29, 2013, blew that convention wide open, and risks hampering Great Britain’s role as a force for good in the world in the future. Will MPs ever vote for war? Perhaps not—and this book proposes a radical solution to the resulting national emasculation. By writing the theory of a Just War (its causes, conduct, and ending) into law, Parliament would allow the Prime Minister to act without hindrance, thanks not to a Royal Prerogative, but to a Parliamentary one. With a highly readable tone, this book provides an expert answer to a complex and highly controversial topic—one with huge constitutional and historical significance for Britain.

1120165549
Who Takes Britain to War?

How does Britain decide to go to war? And how should she?

The long-standing Parliamentary convention known as the "Royal Prerogative" has always allowed Prime Ministers to take the country to war without any formal approval by Parliament. The dramatic vote against any military strike on Syria on August 29, 2013, blew that convention wide open, and risks hampering Great Britain’s role as a force for good in the world in the future. Will MPs ever vote for war? Perhaps not—and this book proposes a radical solution to the resulting national emasculation. By writing the theory of a Just War (its causes, conduct, and ending) into law, Parliament would allow the Prime Minister to act without hindrance, thanks not to a Royal Prerogative, but to a Parliamentary one. With a highly readable tone, this book provides an expert answer to a complex and highly controversial topic—one with huge constitutional and historical significance for Britain.

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Who Takes Britain to War?

Who Takes Britain to War?

Who Takes Britain to War?

Who Takes Britain to War?

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Overview

How does Britain decide to go to war? And how should she?

The long-standing Parliamentary convention known as the "Royal Prerogative" has always allowed Prime Ministers to take the country to war without any formal approval by Parliament. The dramatic vote against any military strike on Syria on August 29, 2013, blew that convention wide open, and risks hampering Great Britain’s role as a force for good in the world in the future. Will MPs ever vote for war? Perhaps not—and this book proposes a radical solution to the resulting national emasculation. By writing the theory of a Just War (its causes, conduct, and ending) into law, Parliament would allow the Prime Minister to act without hindrance, thanks not to a Royal Prerogative, but to a Parliamentary one. With a highly readable tone, this book provides an expert answer to a complex and highly controversial topic—one with huge constitutional and historical significance for Britain.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780750961820
Publisher: History Press Limited, The
Publication date: 01/01/2015
Pages: 192
Product dimensions: 5.00(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

James Gray MP joined Parliament 1997. He currently serves on the House of Commons Defence Select Committee and the Procedure Committee, and is Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Armed Forces and the Armed Forces Parliamentary Trust. He is the author of four books, one of which won the Lloyds of London Book Prize. Mark Lomas provides a legal and historical analysis of the issues.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 7

Foreword by General Sir Tim Granville-Chapman GBE, KCB, KCB, ADC Gen. 9

Introduction 11

Part 1: Who Takes Britain to War Now?

1 X Factor War 17

2 Can War Be Democratic? 31

Part 2: Who Will Take Britain to War in the Future?

3 Democracy or Strategy? 53

4 What Is War? 58

5 Why War? 62

6 The Just War 70

7 How the Americans Do It 79

8 The Royal Prerogative, Democracy and the Just War 84

Part 3: Who Used to Take Britain to War?

9 Divine Right of Kings? 93

10 The Prerogative and Popular Democracy 122

11 Modern Times: The Pregogative Challenged 143

Notes 165

Appendix: Wars Since 1700 169

Biblography 193

About the Authors 196

Index 198

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