PARLIAMENT MUST BE RECALLED TO DEBATE MIDDLE EAST CRISIS - ROWEN

3.52.55pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 14th Aug 2006

Rochdale Liberal Democrat MP, Paul Rowen, today backed a growing campaign to recall Parliament so that MPs can debate the crisis in the Middle East. Liberal Democrat, Nationalist and some backbench Labour MPs have written to the Leader of the House of Commons, Jack Straw, calling for Parliament to be recalled.

Paul Rowen said:

"Like everyone else in Rochdale I have watched news bulletins in recent days with a growing sense of horror. The situation in the Middle East is worsening and urgent action must be taken to bring about an immediate ceasefire.

"Parliament must be recalled so that government Ministers can tell us what they are doing to help bring about an end to this conflict. It would also give MPs an opportunity to quiz ministers on why they have so far failed to condemn Israel's disproportionate actions.

"The Liberal Democrats will also try to establish once and for all if UK airports are still being used by the US to transport weapons to Israel. I want the Government to explain to me why Britain has not stopped selling weapons to Israel.

"If ever there was a time when British foreign policy needed to be independent this is it. Simply going along with the Unites States is to fail in meeting the obligation which our own past involvement in this region gives us."

The MP's listed below will today forward a letter to Rt Hon Jack Straw MP - Leader of the House of Commons, demanding a recall of parliament - to discuss the Middle East Crisis. A copy of the text is included below. This call has significant parliamentary support.

The below named have the support of the 20 aid agencies and offices listed.

A further letter will be sent to the Leader of the House of Commons on 17/08/06 with a full list of parliamentary colleagues calling for a recall. Paul has agreed to sign this letter.

The MP's listed will be contacting colleagues over the coming days to galvanise support for a recall. The number is expected to rise to an unprecedented figure.

Jon Trickett MP (Chair of Compass Parliamentary Group)

Tony Lloyd MP (Former FCO Minister - member of PLP Committee - UK delegate to Council of Europe)

John Denham MP (Former Minister - Home Office)

Rt Hon Clare Short MP (Former Minister for DFID)

Sir Menzies Campbell (Leader - Liberal Democrats)

Michael Moore MP (Shadow Foreign Secretary - Lib Dems)

Susan Kramer MP (Shadow DFID Secretary - Lib Dems)

Alex Salmond (Leader - SNP)

Elfyn Llywd (Leader - Plaid Cymru)

1. ON A PRINCIPLE OF PARLIAMENTARY RECALL FOR IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE SUPPORTED BY:

Amnesty International

British American Security Information Council

BASIC

CAFOD

Care International

Christian Aid

Compass

Crisis Action

Education Action

Islamic Relief

MAYOR OF LONDON

Muslim Council of Britain

OXFAM

Oxford research group

Save the Children

TEARFUND

International Rescue Committee

UNISON

War on Want

Welfare Association

World Vision.

2. TEXT

The Rt Hon Jack Straw MP

Leader of the House of Commons

Dear Mr Straw,

We the undersigned write to you as Leader of the House of Commons to ask you as a matter of urgency to make representations to the Speaker of the House of Commons to instigate a recall of parliament, under Standing Order No.13 of the House of Commons, on a matter of serious public interest.

There is huge concern in the country about the current Middle East crisis, and fear that the early failure to insist that Israel and Hezbollah observe an immediate ceasefire has cost many innocent lives and may continue to do so.

In addition, the use by US supply aircraft to refuel at Prestwick Airport when transporting bombs and military hardware to be used by the Israel Defence Force in air-raids on densely populated civilian areas has given the impression that the UK has assumed a tacitly active and less than impartial role in the conflict.

The Prime Minister has publicly acknowledged there are many in the country who do not support his position. On the 3rd August he said: "There is anxiety amongst members of the Cabinet; members of the Parliamentary Labour Party; people in the country …. It may well be that I am in a minority in seeing it this way."

On the 26th July, the publication of a Guardian/ICM poll revealed that 70% of UK respondents believe that the Prime Minister should have called for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East. A further ICM Poll published by Channel 4 News on 4th August recorded that 68% of respondents said that military equipment bound for Israel should not pass through the UK.

Given the massive concern in the country about these matters, we believe that it is right to allow the Commons to meet in order that the Government's strategy can be fully discussed. Parliament is seriously hamstrung at times of crisis by the fact that only the government can recall parliament. It should be noted that 202 cross party members of parliament have signed a petition calling for an immediate ceasefire.

In light of the seriousness of current events and the overwhelming parliamentary and public interest in them, I urge you to give the utmost consideration to this letter. It is absolutely vital to the quality of democracy in the United Kingdom that elected representatives voice the concerns of our constituents at such a crucial time.

Yours sincerely,