There are lots of politicians of integrity around these days, the problem is that they are saying things people don't want to hear so they are consideted naive or extremist or corrupt, or weak or stupid or liberal or right wing and so on. 5 or 10 years from now, they will be considered honest and far sighted. Sigh
i know right we hamas supporters in Government now covering up the murder of Children in Islams name to make you believe its not a religion of killing westerners until we agree in muhammeds child raping ideas
Well i once thought so until he became a War Pig and cheerleader for the brutal NATO attack on the former Yugoslavia, after that i lost all respect for the man.
Parliament has evolved to swallow up any ideas or notions of honour. Any hint of being a straight arrow and it’s off to the backbenches at best. Our current Labour government doesn’t even have enough intelligence to finish a Times crossword.
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.
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.
@@Capri-x8mthat’s an incredibly naive and narrow minded thing to admit to. I take it you paid no attention to the deliberate and years long campaign from media, certain interest groups and powers within politics to crush Labour’s left? Particularly Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters, pushing through a right leaning leadership.
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.
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.
I was still very new in this country, and did not know much about this country’s politicians but, in a more intuitive sense I could see an instant exceptional rays of human quality in few of them. I remember I deeply cried at death of Cook, John Smith & Dr Kelly. I was not even fully a British citizen then!!!! The human society miss you all 🙏🏿
I remember Blair didn't attend Cook's funeral, show the contempt he had for him. Even Thatcher attended her political opponents funerals like Eric Heffer's.
He was a man of great ability and integrity. It is estimated that 1,033,000 excess deaths amongst Iraqis was caused by this war. 179 UK service personnel did not come home. He was admired in many circles and his time on earth came to an end in 2005 at the age of 59.
I vividly remember this. We were protesting, and it was evident for all to see that this was a US Government hellbent on war, no matter what the evidence or inspections. Thousands of people died for this madness. The people who decided this have blood on their hands.
*No-one can deny that New Labour has returned to English politics under Sir Keir Starmer who has put the nail in socialism for some time to come. New Labour is full of unprincipled careerists at present. Is there anyone with the same courage as Robin Cook to take down the tool-makers son, I wonder.*
Fuck off English politics. Starmer as all Labout leaders since day one is a Fabian. All Fabians are cultural Marxists and believe " The English do not exist." Do some reading!
The fact that Campbell has been allowed to rehabilitate his public image in the media - to the extent that he now regularly appears as a guest/contributor in mainstream news publications - absolutely disgusts me and is a shocking indictment of the state of British journalism. Clearly, the man has absolutely no sense of shame.
Robin Cook was an intelligent, honest and decent guy. We could do with more MPs with those three attributes. Instead we have - well, I'll leave you to decide.
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
The American empire was already far developed by 2003, and had already infiltrated far enough into the world order that it's political domination was inevitable. If anything, you could view the strong-arming of Britain into action against Iraq as a flexing of the muscles by US despotism
This is as heartening as it is sad. Absolutely brilliant speech borne of words, reason, and ethics, and no ego whatsoever. Crikey if they'd only followed his words. Paulgibbons, you pegged the rest. Thanks for that and thank you for posting this.
Remember this speech very well. I marched against this war at the time.and although I never agreed with Robin Cook’s position all the time (and never voted Labour), on this point I was with him 100%. Ditto for Charles Kennedy. Cook’s words around 6mins 12secs regarding the position of Iraq vs Israel, as regards how the west dealt with breaches of UN Security Council resolutions, were profoundly important then. They are monumentally important today. The decades of a double standard with regard to Israel’s failure to adhere to UN Security Council resolutions and international law was a crucial point in Cook’s speech in 2003. It could not be more important or relevant today. Two more decades of the same has brought us to where we are now. The Middle East on the brink of another major war, Israel’s transgressions ignored, supported and enabled by the west. The kind of moral fibre and backbone, the degree of personal and political sacrifice that Cook displayed this day in 2003 is a thing of the past. And we are all the worse off for that.
The Speech That Tried To Stop The Iraq War | Parliament's Greatest Speeches #2 1209pm 23.9.24 refer to rachel reeves and the labour party now. utter crud....
Thank you. I really appreciate the analysis of such an important historical speech. The few overruling the masses within the British parliament. Is that democracy?
Iraq war? 😅😅 how about the lies of the subsequent wars ,, Yuhoslavia, Afghanistan, Syria, Sudan, Libya ,, in how many wars the UK dying empire were involved?
@@thecoin5394 Nearly half a million dead, and you think it's funny. your a bit of a sick puppy. And you have missed out a lot of War's from the past. The 100 years war the seven years war the Napoleonic War's the Ist and 2nd World war's. None of those War's are within twenty three years, and in living memory. I would reserve your manic laughter for when you make a valid point.
@@thecoin5394 Yugoslavia, you mean the war of Serbian aggresion and Genocide. Afghanistan should not have allowed so many Al Quada bases in it's territory after 9/11. Syria nothing to do with the UK all Russian and Assad. Lybia serves them right for threatening Genocide on Benghazi. Sudan all internal and it will be never ending warlord's.
@@markpower9081 I've been reading a lot of the other comments and there seem to be quite a few nuts here - they think he was assassinated by nameless people in authority who were disgruntled with him having made a speech against the line the government was taking. Assassinated two years later, for some reason - presumably they were so incredibly angry that they were able to convince their cabal of shady comrades that it was worth the risk of discovery to magically make him have a heart attack, lol. I imagine that if there was some sensationally evil group operating within the government or establishment of the UK that offed people, it would do so for reasons of national security or to serve their own aims, which of course doesn't make sense in the case of Robin Cook because he didn't die before he could make this speech or vote himself, he died two years later at a time of no particular importance. But then, logic doesn't dissuade the nutterati!
The human brain is amazing at reinforcing our pre-conceived ideas. Which is how the coin-toss lucky guess of a 14 yr old on decisions of war and peace becomes “I somehow knew”. No you didn’t.
@@joshuaparrott2458 yes, there was no photo of barrels marked “Iraqi chemical weapons”. Collating intelligence on a hostile and secretive dictatorship isn’t easy. The US and UK governments presented their best case, the French and German governments remained sceptical. Nobody “knew”; least of all random citizens marching around with placards.
@@joshuaparrott2458 I don’t agree that they knew that, though they might have felt it. But of course you’re right that they couldn’t do anything about it.
Well done Ro in. They dont make ministers like that anymore. Resign? You have to force them out with a lever these days. Claire Short left it a bit too late to resign. And Lammy is no Robon Cook. Lammy an absolute disaster. Sack him now.
I was driving to work, down the M50, when it came on radio 4 that Britain and the US were planning to invade Iraq. I actually laughed out loud, and said, "someone's dropped a bollock there, they must mean Iran, how embarrassing. When I got to work, I was more than taken aback to discover they actually meant Iraq. Why?
Wow old Labour. Cook was a good guy but they’re like nice guys - get nowhere. Love that Jezza is sat at the back a man who has stood his ground and not faltered in decades despite the Israeli lobby’s efforts.
Such a heartfelt and authentic speech. Nice to be reminded politicians used to behave morally and ethically. Well argued as well about the arbitrariness of the decision to go to war. E.g. SH ignored UN resolution for 12 years used as excuse, but then Israel by then ignored UN resolution for over 30years and the West were ok with it!
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.
Never forget that one of the architects of this massacre is not only not in prison, but is also pulling the strings of the people currently in the executive office.
You don't get to say this very often about politicians, but THIS WAS A GOOD MAN. His work in helping the situation in Bosnia was always welcome, and so should his opinion on this occasion have been welcomed, but it wasn't.
@@afgor1088 My grandfather had the temerity to be born squealing and bawling, not to mention causing my great-grandmother no end of pain in her delicate lady parts. Then (the best part of a century later) he died of 'natural' causes! Hah! They think we're fools, but WE know the truth...
Galloway is a shifty, sleazy nut who happens to have the knack of getting worked up in a way that gets some people to listen to him; I have no respect for him.
In 2005 I went to stay at the Summer Isles Hotel in Scotland. When I arrived they put us in a cottage rather than the hotel rooms we booked. When I asked why we were told that the cottage had been booked by Robin Cook and his death had just been announced. Strange week. We drank to his memory nightly and we reminisced about this speech, behind which lay an honour which no longer exists in Westminster to the extent it once did RIP
Good speech and conduct regarding this specific issue but it should not be forgotten that Robin Cook was instrumental in selling arms to Suhartu in Indonesia where some of the most horrific murders and genocide took place against the indigenous people of east Timor. My brother a veteran FMF peace keeper having served in the first Lebanon war including running the Un designated refuge for women and children when it was torpedoed by the Israeli's stated the atrocities in East Timor were the worst he had ever seen. These sales were also funded by a 630m loan to Suhartu and the regime to purchase the arms. I understand there were other sales overseen by Robin Cook consistent with the same type of conduct regardless of personality and party affiliation. I would suggest we concentrate on the innocent victims of war and the not so innocent profiteers.
Robin Cook was a brilliant man, who not long after his resignation allegedly died in the middle of nowhere while out for a hike, with his doctor wife. Pigs were flying through the Highlands at the time.
Watch another episode of greatest speeches now - ruclips.net/video/FYwKEMcNWD4/видео.html
a man with integrity, very few left in todays world of politics.
very brazenly cheating on his wife I think
then again he was the best MP I ever had
There are lots of politicians of integrity around these days, the problem is that they are saying things people don't want to hear so they are consideted naive or extremist or corrupt, or weak or stupid or liberal or right wing and so on. 5 or 10 years from now, they will be considered honest and far sighted. Sigh
@@trevorboyd8878 like who?
i know right we hamas supporters in Government now covering up the murder of Children in Islams name to make you believe its not a religion of killing westerners until we agree in muhammeds child raping ideas
Well i once thought so until he became a War Pig and cheerleader for the brutal NATO attack on the former Yugoslavia, after that i lost all respect for the man.
Perhaps a man with honor has no place in politics ? He knew what many of us suspected . RIP Mr Cook .
Parliament has evolved to swallow up any ideas or notions of honour. Any hint of being a straight arrow and it’s off to the backbenches at best. Our current Labour government doesn’t even have enough intelligence to finish a Times crossword.
@davidrussell8689 and he had the integrity to speak out, I saw him in real life once, he was taller than he looked on the tv
I am reminded of Enoch Powell. Another man with too much integrity to be allowed on the front benches.
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.
People often don't look like they are about to have heart attacks.
It is obvious enough to anyone with a brain that John Smith was got rid of to make way for Tony friggin Blair.
Yes, quite a coincidence that. Two coincidences, in fact. And Dr David Kelly definitely didn’t kill himself.
💯🎯
It's all too convenient isn't it. Don't forget David Kelly.......
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.
Blair did not attend his funeral as he was very busy on holiday.
@@gordonwilson1631 I remember well. I dare say many will return the sentiment upon his demise.
100%. Blair should’ve been at The Hague…… parliamentary privilege needs a massive rethink.
Lots of mysterious deaths of people who got in Blair's way
As Obama is
I remember Dr David Kelly too
Bless him
Now that WAS highly suspicious to say the least.
@@gerhard7323Still no Coroner’s Inquest
The Tories should have released the files that Blair made Top Secret!
@@storm_shadow78 Chums together then!!!
One of the greatest Paliamentary speaches. GOD Bless you Sir.
He'd be appalled by what Starmer has done to Labour.
He would
@@Capri-x8mthat’s an incredibly naive and narrow minded thing to admit to. I take it you paid no attention to the deliberate and years long campaign from media, certain interest groups and powers within politics to crush Labour’s left? Particularly Jeremy Corbyn and his supporters, pushing through a right leaning leadership.
@@Capri-x8mI think Conservative voters did it. They had to go somewhere. Better education would help.
As are quite a lot of us if truth be known. 😢
Starmer is just continuing what Blair started.
I remember this what a great man.
Could you please post Jeremy Corbyn, George Galloway and Charles Kennedy's speeches opposing the Iraq War in the Commons? That would be a treat!
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.
He was wth the right side of History! Respect to this great man❤
There is no one of this stature in the Labour party now. And very rare anywhere in Parliament.
they all got snuffed out
Jeremy corbyn the man behind cook
Jeremy Corbyn is not in the labour party
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.
Fishy af.
Did Hilary Clinton kill him then? 🤦♂
He also explained after this speech - i think - that Al Q was entirely - lock stock and stinking barrel a cia construct
Just a "co-incidence"
There was such a thing as a 'heart attack' gun being developed in the 70's and then it disappeared 🤔
I was still very new in this country, and did not know much about this country’s politicians but, in a more intuitive sense I could see an instant exceptional rays of human quality in few of them. I remember I deeply cried at death of Cook, John Smith & Dr Kelly. I was not even fully a British citizen then!!!!
The human society miss you all 🙏🏿
God Bless you Robin Cook. A real man. No one to hold a candle to you.
David Kelly...
Bless him ❤
Mo molem
The British establishment are experts !!
I remember Blair didn't attend Cook's funeral, show the contempt he had for him. Even Thatcher attended her political opponents funerals like Eric Heffer's.
Hes a Petty little man
He was a man of great ability and integrity. It is estimated that 1,033,000 excess deaths amongst Iraqis was caused by this war. 179 UK service personnel did not come home. He was admired in many circles and his time on earth came to an end in 2005 at the age of 59.
Me too I remember Robin cook ! Nice man
The world is so much poorer without Robin Cook.
Honour, humanity and decency died with him.
Thank you Sir
Rest in peace dear soul.
Can't imagine this happening today, sadly. A politician with principles is now a mythical creature.
No, the guy standing behind him in the green suit is still there. Elected as an independent- Jeremy Corbyn- full respect to him.
Robin Cook.... An MP with integrity. So very rare these days. 😢
Unheard of in fact!
God rest Robin Cooks soul, if only we listened to him. So many innocent soul would still be alive today .
Jezza just chilling in the background
being on the 'right side' of history as usual
In a suit borrowed from a leprechaun
I vividly remember this. We were protesting, and it was evident for all to see that this was a US Government hellbent on war, no matter what the evidence or inspections. Thousands of people died for this madness. The people who decided this have blood on their hands.
millions died, not thousands 😢
Brave man. Good man. Didn't see it at the time.
*No-one can deny that New Labour has returned to English politics under Sir Keir Starmer who has put the nail in socialism for some time to come. New Labour is full of unprincipled careerists at present. Is there anyone with the same courage as Robin Cook to take down the tool-makers son, I wonder.*
Fuck off English politics.
Starmer as all Labout leaders since day one is a Fabian.
All Fabians are cultural Marxists and believe " The English do not exist."
Do some reading!
Why are Blair, Campbell, Bush and Cheney still walking free?
Because they played the game and did the bidding of their masters.
The fact that Campbell has been allowed to rehabilitate his public image in the media - to the extent that he now regularly appears as a guest/contributor in mainstream news publications - absolutely disgusts me and is a shocking indictment of the state of British journalism.
Clearly, the man has absolutely no sense of shame.
No heart attacks or self offing for the pro war side. Funny that.
@@tomfahey2823 He has no sense of anything. So clearly without a moral compass, and not any sort of intellect as far as I can tell.
Because they haven’t done anything wrong?
Robin Cook was an intelligent, honest and decent guy. We could do with more MPs with those three attributes. Instead we have - well, I'll leave you to decide.
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.
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
The American empire was already far developed by 2003, and had already infiltrated far enough into the world order that it's political domination was inevitable. If anything, you could view the strong-arming of Britain into action against Iraq as a flexing of the muscles by US despotism
@@lawrencejames8011 That was the deal. Now we are vassal state.
Look at Britain now we are building sky scrappers installing American computers using words like recall
@@lawrencejames8011 Vassal state. You knew this if you voted Brexit. Or where you convinced about the benefits?
When politicians actually said things when they spoke.
People need reminding of this speech, the political class these days is just awful. Sad
Share it wherever you can... X, FB, Instagram, TT, etc etc
He was killed for standing up.
Who was killed?
@@soutteruk1 Security forces?
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
do you think his dad killed him? because that's who he was with when he died.
Crackpot
Go back to bed.🙈
This is as heartening as it is sad. Absolutely brilliant speech borne of words, reason, and ethics, and no ego whatsoever. Crikey if they'd only followed his words. Paulgibbons, you pegged the rest. Thanks for that and thank you for posting this.
This speech was the best speech I have ever heard in my life . I set it to music around 2009.
that's a real man right there, respect
He was murdered for this. Not thw official narrative but them David Kelly didn't kill himself and that also isn't official vwrsion.
Ian huntley is innocent. It's all connected
@@Nojj-w7s Exactly right
Get yourself some help Kirsty.
@@jamiem4421 You mean a man with hypertension having a heart attack, falling down a ravine and being airlifted straight to hospital is not murder??
Corbyn over his right shoulder.
And Bob Marshall-Andrews on his left.
I noticed he was also against that war
An irrelevance.
"History will be astonished at the diplomatic miscalculations..."
Remember this speech very well. I marched against this war at the time.and although I never agreed with Robin Cook’s position all the time (and never voted Labour), on this point I was with him 100%. Ditto for Charles Kennedy.
Cook’s words around 6mins 12secs regarding the position of Iraq vs Israel, as regards how the west dealt with breaches of UN Security Council resolutions, were profoundly important then. They are monumentally important today.
The decades of a double standard with regard to Israel’s failure to adhere to UN Security Council resolutions and international law was a crucial point in Cook’s speech in 2003. It could not be more important or relevant today.
Two more decades of the same has brought us to where we are now. The Middle East on the brink of another major war, Israel’s transgressions ignored, supported and enabled by the west.
The kind of moral fibre and backbone, the degree of personal and political sacrifice that Cook displayed this day in 2003 is a thing of the past.
And we are all the worse off for that.
Great speech, great man.
Interesting and valuable revisit.
On my very short list of great men who were politicians
Wow only 2003? Parliament was noticeably better even a short time ago. Much more mature.
A real politician, respect. RIP. Unfortunately the warmonger Blair triumphed, look at us now. 😱🤨🦉
Robin Cook was such a decent human being. I bought his book.
A politician with honour integrity, principles? Imagine that.
Top guy, when he sat down after his speech you can tell in his face it was emotional for him.
where does this rank amongst other great political speeches?
well he was killed for making it, so that must mean something.
Without principles, a man is worth nothing. This man resigned on principle.
The Speech That Tried To Stop The Iraq War | Parliament's Greatest Speeches #2 1209pm 23.9.24 refer to rachel reeves and the labour party now. utter crud....
@@sam3317
They couldn’t fool you Sam.
Andrew Bridgen made some great speeches too recently.
Please post George Galloway and Charles Kennedy's speeches on opposing the Iraq War in the Commons. Thank you.
The legend.
Didn't he die 'before his time'? Dr. David Kelly did.
No wonder Blair was worried when Corbyn put himself forward for leader.
I salute you Sir. Afraid not much has changed
Thank you. I really appreciate the analysis of such an important historical speech. The few overruling the masses within the British parliament. Is that democracy?
It was a insane and bizarre decision to go to war, but Labour did it anyway.
Johnson voted for the war and against an inquiry, a minor distinction between himself and Trump
@@gamerknown So it was all Johnson's fault then🤣🤣🤣
Iraq war? 😅😅 how about the lies of the subsequent wars ,, Yuhoslavia, Afghanistan, Syria, Sudan, Libya ,, in how many wars the UK dying empire were involved?
@@thecoin5394 Nearly half a million dead, and you think it's funny. your a bit of a sick puppy. And you have missed out a lot of War's from the past. The 100 years war the seven years war the Napoleonic War's the Ist and 2nd World war's. None of those War's are within twenty three years, and in living memory. I would reserve your manic laughter for when you make a valid point.
@@thecoin5394 Yugoslavia, you mean the war of Serbian aggresion and Genocide. Afghanistan should not have allowed so many Al Quada bases in it's territory after 9/11. Syria nothing to do with the UK all Russian and Assad. Lybia serves them right for threatening Genocide on Benghazi. Sudan all internal and it will be never ending warlord's.
This man paid with his life for disagreeing with a illegal war, what a great politician he was. 👍
Tony Benn was a wonderful politician too. Peace be upon him .
This is what heroes look like ❤️
"The Speech That Tried To Stop The Iraq War" and cost him his life.
Cost him his life?
@@markpower9081 I've been reading a lot of the other comments and there seem to be quite a few nuts here - they think he was assassinated by nameless people in authority who were disgruntled with him having made a speech against the line the government was taking. Assassinated two years later, for some reason - presumably they were so incredibly angry that they were able to convince their cabal of shady comrades that it was worth the risk of discovery to magically make him have a heart attack, lol. I imagine that if there was some sensationally evil group operating within the government or establishment of the UK that offed people, it would do so for reasons of national security or to serve their own aims, which of course doesn't make sense in the case of Robin Cook because he didn't die before he could make this speech or vote himself, he died two years later at a time of no particular importance. But then, logic doesn't dissuade the nutterati!
Seeing Corbyn in the back there is amazing. Iconic.
The scene looks like a Renaissance painting.
He was an honest man.
If he was to see what the Labour party is like now he'd be disgusted the shadow of Blair still looms large .
Yawn
Honorable man in UK politics are rare and becoming even rarer to nonexistent today.
A real heartfelt man and brilliant Morels is sadly missed.
I am very surprised this man spoke out against the Iraq war. I never knew.
It's not something 'they' wish people to remember
Look into his death, even more surprising…
2003, I was 14.
Was dead against the war. I somehow knew the whole WMD thing was bollocks.
Everyone around me kept explaining there was.
The human brain is amazing at reinforcing our pre-conceived ideas. Which is how the coin-toss lucky guess of a 14 yr old on decisions of war and peace becomes “I somehow knew”. No you didn’t.
@@jamiem4421
Show & tell.
No photos, no verifying reports - nothing.
Allegations that made no sense.
@@joshuaparrott2458 yes, there was no photo of barrels marked “Iraqi chemical weapons”. Collating intelligence on a hostile and secretive dictatorship isn’t easy. The US and UK governments presented their best case, the French and German governments remained sceptical. Nobody “knew”; least of all random citizens marching around with placards.
@@jamiem4421
Everyone protesting knew it was about oil.
& couldn't do anything about it.
@@joshuaparrott2458 I don’t agree that they knew that, though they might have felt it. But of course you’re right that they couldn’t do anything about it.
Well done Ro in. They dont make ministers like that anymore. Resign? You have to force them out with a lever these days. Claire Short left it a bit too late to resign.
And Lammy is no Robon Cook. Lammy an absolute disaster.
Sack him now.
The speech that sealed his fate.
I miss seeing compassionate intelligent people in parliament
Please could you post Charles Kennedy's speech opposing the Iraq War in the Commons? You must have it in the archive somewhere.
Both Robin cook and John smith died of mysterious heart attacks and david kelly of mysterious suicide. All three opposed the war in Iraq.
Did you make use of a medium to find out John Smith’s view of the war?
I was driving to work, down the M50, when it came on radio 4 that Britain and the US were planning to invade Iraq. I actually laughed out loud, and said, "someone's dropped a bollock there, they must mean Iran, how embarrassing. When I got to work, I was more than taken aback to discover they actually meant Iraq. Why?
Weapons of mass delusion.
Why would we have been invading Iran?
The older i get the more honerable and genuine this man gets.
Such a shame he passed so early.
A loss for uk (and international) politics.
If only ALL our MP's had just half of Robin Cook's integrity!?
Robin Cook was my favourite politician of all time. It was impossible to argue against him as everything he said was logical. Good racing tipster too.
Wow old Labour. Cook was a good guy but they’re like nice guys - get nowhere. Love that Jezza is sat at the back a man who has stood his ground and not faltered in decades despite the Israeli lobby’s efforts.
RIP Robin Cook and Doctor David Kelly.
Such a heartfelt and authentic speech. Nice to be reminded politicians used to behave morally and ethically. Well argued as well about the arbitrariness of the decision to go to war. E.g. SH ignored UN resolution for 12 years used as excuse, but then Israel by then ignored UN resolution for over 30years and the West were ok with it!
An historic speech
Great man
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.
He was sucked in
He over-promised and painted himself in a corner.
Never forget that one of the architects of this massacre is not only not in prison, but is also pulling the strings of the people currently in the executive office.
You don't get to say this very often about politicians, but THIS WAS A GOOD MAN. His work in helping the situation in Bosnia was always welcome, and so should his opinion on this occasion have been welcomed, but it wasn't.
And then he is found dead, strange is it not.
2 years later with his father...
no, it isn't strange.
@@afgor1088 My grandfather had the temerity to be born squealing and bawling, not to mention causing my great-grandmother no end of pain in her delicate lady parts. Then (the best part of a century later) he died of 'natural' causes! Hah! They think we're fools, but WE know the truth...
He'd be accused of anti semitism now if he had made that comparison re breaking resolutions.
If only he, Benn and Galloway were listened to, the world might not be in such a mess today.
Galloway is a shifty, sleazy nut who happens to have the knack of getting worked up in a way that gets some people to listen to him; I have no respect for him.
In 2005 I went to stay at the Summer Isles Hotel in Scotland. When I arrived they put us in a cottage rather than the hotel rooms we booked. When I asked why we were told that the cottage had been booked by Robin Cook and his death had just been announced. Strange week. We drank to his memory nightly and we reminisced about this speech, behind which lay an honour which no longer exists in Westminster to the extent it once did RIP
The establishment is still at it. No lessons learned, just opportunist.
Good speech and conduct regarding this specific issue but it should not be forgotten that Robin Cook was instrumental in selling arms to Suhartu in Indonesia where some of the most horrific murders and genocide took place against the indigenous people of east Timor. My brother a veteran FMF peace keeper having served in the first Lebanon war including running the Un designated refuge for women and children when it was torpedoed by the Israeli's stated the atrocities in East Timor were the worst he had ever seen. These sales were also funded by a 630m loan to Suhartu and the regime to purchase the arms. I understand there were other sales overseen by Robin Cook consistent with the same type of conduct regardless of personality and party affiliation. I would suggest we concentrate on the innocent victims of war and the not so innocent profiteers.
A real honest statesman
robin cook , a man of integrity, as was john smith!!,both casualties of a tri lateral conspiricy, , ie US, GB, ISRAEL, rip mr cook
It's no surprise that our current grifter in chief is a member of that cabal!
"I remind the House that a resignation statement is heard in silence and without interruption."
- Mr Speaker
21 year old speech and yes, still very relevant.
Robin Cook was a brilliant man, who not long after his resignation allegedly died in the middle of nowhere while out for a hike, with his doctor wife. Pigs were flying through the Highlands at the time.
He didn’t allegedly die. He really did die.
A man of the people who stood by his principles rather than his career.
Good politicians like him shouldn't resign, a yes man could just fill his shoes. We needed his voice to stay
And they murdered him for this speech
He was absolutely correct.