How Robin Cook Tried To Stop The Iraq War | Parliament's Greatest Speeches #2

The year is 2003, the UK is on the brink of invading Iraq over fears about weapons of mass destruction and Robin Cook is about to make one of the greatest speeches Parliament has ever seen.
The former foreign secretary & leader of the house felt that he could not support a war without UN backing and so decided to resign in Parliament.
David Clark, his former advisor, describes the experience of writing the speech & the emotional impact of watching his friend deliver it.
Although it did not stop the Iraq war, a source of great disappointment for Cook, the speech has been vindicated by history argues Clarke.
Produced by Robbie Hawken
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#politics #parliament #speeches

[@theipaper]

where does this rank amongst other great political speeches?

[@paulgibbons2320]

Robin was 100% right. As was Charles Kennedy. Happy I supported these people and opposed the wickedness of the Blair government. WE were right. It's a source of great anger that Blair is still sculking about in the shadows trying to cause more anarchy.

[@nahimwazir1616]

I remember this what a great man.

[@rinkydinkpanther3367]

He'd be appalled by what Starmer has done to Labour.

[@annenunney9907]

He would

[@yetidodger6650]

a man with integrity, very few left in todays world of politics.

[@lw1zfog]

Robin Cook ‘died of a heart attack’ while hill-climbing in the Reay Forest Estate, owned by the Grosvenor family. At the time of Cook’s death in 2005 the late Gerald Grosvenor, the 6th Duke of Westminster, was an assistant chief of the defence staff with the Ministry of Defence.

[@chamberpot969]

Fishy af.

[@paulguitar100]

Did Hilary Clinton kill him then? 🤦‍♂

[@naradaian]

He also explained after this speech - i think - that Al Q was entirely - lock stock and stinking barrel a cia construct

[@Gio.761]

Me too I remember Robin cook ! Nice man

[@lawrencejames8011]

A supreme irony here: Blair supplied British forces to build an American empire after it had done all all its power to dismantle the British.

[@naradaian]

Good grief you believe that ….time to wake up…most americans ….sentient americans - know that they are run by the same individuals who ran the previous empire only now they are called globalists

[@monireid9515]

One of the greatest Paliamentary speaches. GOD Bless you Sir.

[@seymourclearly]

He doesnt look like a man who was about to drop dead of a heart attack while out hill walking, the same fate that befell John Smith the labour leader a few years earlier.

[@Morbius1963]

There is no one of this stature in the Labour party now. And very rare anywhere in Parliament.

[@lw1zfog]

they all got snuffed out

[@Dai-Verse-IT]

A real politician, respect. RIP. Unfortunately the warmonger Blair triumphed, look at us now. 😱🤨🦉

[@johnmunro4952]

Corbyn over his right shoulder.

[@pedrapgwilym1341]

And Bob Marshall-Andrews on his left.

[@annenunney9907]

I noticed he was also against that war

[@soutteruk1]

An irrelevance.

[@GraceandTruth7777]

David Kelly...

[@annenunney9907]

Bless him ❤

[@TheBOFAcookie]

I remember Dr David Kelly too

[@annenunney9907]

Bless him

[@BlaxkNobility]

He was killed for standing up.

[@soutteruk1]

Who was killed?

[@BlaxkNobility]

@@soutteruk1 Security forces?

[@naradaian]

It was said at the time it was his speech stating that Al Q was entirely a western cia asset…i have the quote somewhere

[@miamimo70]

People need reminding of this speech, the political class these days is just awful. Sad

[@abrahamal8815]

The legend.

[@kirstyduncan408]

He was murdered for this. Not thw official narrative but them David Kelly didn't kill himself and that also isn't official vwrsion.

[@jonesalex565]

Brave man. Good man. Didn't see it at the time.

[@thomasmain5986]

It was a insane and bizarre decision to go to war, but Labour did it anyway.

[@gamerknown]

Johnson voted for the war and against an inquiry, a minor distinction between himself and Trump

[@thomasmain5986]

@@gamerknown So it was all Johnson's fault then🤣🤣🤣

[@davidrussell8689]

Perhaps a man with honor has no place in politics ? He knew what many of us suspected . RIP Mr Cook .

[@georgesutter2256]

On my very short list of great men who were politicians

[@roytranter8806]

Not quite JFK's peace speech but a significant moment which I remember well. Both JFK and Robin Cook were dead shortly after making their speeches; coincidence?

[@pedrapgwilym1341]

JFK had scriptwriters. This was from the heart.

[@gamerknown]

@@pedrapgwilym1341not only that, JFK was the first President to am Israel (after the realignment away from the USSR), affirmed a close relationship with Somoza in Nicaragua, increased the number of “advisors” in South East Asia & attempted to foment a reactionary coup in Cuba. Wholly recommend “Rethinking Camelot”

[@matthewbaynham6286]

The guy behind him in the green suit looks smart, I'm sure he'll go a long way.

[@annenunney9907]

He could have gone all the way if it had not been for the disgusting media his own party and I believe Israel and America they must have been really scared he was the best prime minister we never had

[@almacmathain6195]

The Labour Party lost two great men, John Smith and Robin Cook, who would have ensured that the disastrous policies of Blair were avoided. Cook on his own might been able to avoid the decline in Labou Party morale and so prevent Blair from following US President Bush into the catastrophe that destroyed Iraqthe peace of the Word ever since.

[@maxkazzora4234]

Sadly as good a speech it was all for nothing. I applaud the late Robin Cooke (RIP) nevertheless. Tony Blair’s telephone call to Bush was very damning: he said we stand with you no matter what.

[@annenunney9907]

He was sucked in

[@Johnconno]

He had to go. With extreme prejudice.

[@sean543-k7q]

Why did Mi5 murder him and Dr David Kelly?

[@alphabetaxenonzzzcat]

Exactly. I also think that John Smith met an untimely end, as to get Blair into a position of power.

[@paulgibbons2320]

Claims like these must be substantiated.

[@lw1zfog]

@@paulgibbons2320 *more reading required

[@seymourclearly]

CIA more likely, but at least he wasn't murdered by Irish terrorists like too many of his colleagues

[@paulgibbons2320]

@@lw1zfog reading from what sources ?

[@chamberpot969]

Didn't he die 'before his time'? Dr. David Kelly did.

[@laurasands8322]

If he was to see what the Labour party is like now he'd be disgusted the shadow of Blair still looms large .

[@naradaian]

Yawn

[@januszdelondres]

the left wing of the labour party at that time seemed to be dropping like flys.

[@robertyoung8785]

And then he is found dead, strange is it not.

[@varoozh3646]

We know Tony killed him….

[@broceliandeforest7420]

Even worse was Thatcher illegally starting the Falklands war by sinking the Belgrano on its way home.

[@Dean-vl7ot]

Learn some history

[@afctaylor12]

In fact this was Argentina third attempt at starting war after losing against penguins in Chile

[@seymourclearly]

That is not what happened, the information is all out there for anyone to see

[@soutteruk1]

The Belgrano was sunk but not at the beginning of the war, nor was it a cause of the war.

[@roryforham]

the argentine navy said it was a legimate act of war in the 90's

[@alexramsey4618]

He was not a crook like the rest of them