UK's Brown to give parliament more power over war

London, July 4: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown proposed giving parliament greater control over sending troops to war as he moved to restore public trust in his government and politics shattered by Iraq.

Brown, in his first policy announcement since he succeeded Tony Blair yesterday, said he planned to relinquish or limit powers in 12 areas held by the head of government for centuries.

He asked lawmakers to draw up a resolution setting out the criteria for voting on deploying troops. Brown aides said there would be caveats to ensure the government's ability to take swift action to protect national security or troops' safety.

The move along with measures to give parliament a say in public appointments is designed to boost voter trust in a Labour government that has been undermined by Blair's decision to back the U.S.-led Iraq war and by allegations of sleaze.

''The government will consult on a resolution to guarantee that on the grave issue of peace and war it is ultimately this House of Commons that will make the decision,'' Brown told parliament's lower chamber.

He added the constitutional change ''should never jeopardise the security of our forces or any operational decisions''.

Brown aides said the move would give more powers to parliament over war and peace, despite the caveats.

Parliament did vote on the Iraq war but the basis of the case for the conflict was Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

The failure to find any banned arms, faulty intelligence and the bloodshed in Iraq sapped trust in the government and in part pressured Blair into stepping down sooner than planned.

Brown To Blame?

The prime minister also proposed relinquishing his power to recall or dissolve parliament and parliamentary scrutiny of key appointments such as the chief inspector of prisons.

Lawmakers' hearings on appointments, however, will be non-binding, unlike in the United States.

Opposition politicians said Brown, finance minister throughout Blair's decade in power, was the wrong man to restore public faith.

''Surely he has to recognise that he has been at the heart of the government that has done more in living memory than any other government to destroy trust in politics,'' said David Cameron, leader of the opposition Conservative Party.

Brown also proposed that parliament assume the power, now held by the prime minister, to ratify international treaties.

The measures are ''designed to try to give the public the impression that the government is being more open, more accountable,'' said John Curtice, political analyst at Strathclyde University.

New members of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee, including the central bank governor, will face parliamentary hearings although lawmakers will not have a veto.

He also said he would consult on a bill of rights or a written constitution, on lowering the voting age from 18 to 16 and on moving elections to weekends from Thursdays.

Brown's government will now publish its national security strategy that will be open to parliamentary debate, he added.

Reuters

RelatedStories

Brown pledges change as British prime minister

>