"Iraq War - Never Again!". Says Stephen Robinson

2.37.49pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 25th Apr 2005

West Chelmsford Lib Dem Candidate Stephen Robinson welcomes the Lib Dem stand against the Iraq War. He said, "We have chosen not to make an early issue of this because we stand for many more policies than just the anti-Iraq war sentiment, but, like many people in Britain, we are outraged at being railroaded into war by Tony Blair."

He went on, "Britain's international reputation has been damaged by the way Tony Blair took us to war. It has undermined the United Nations. It has undermined international law. It has undermined Tony Blair's own standing as Prime Minister. It has undermined trust in government and politics generally."

In our 10 Reasons to Vote Lib Dem we say over the Iraq War - NEVER AGAIN! What do we mean?

The best explanation is in Charles's conference speech from last September -

Never again must this country be led into war on the basis of questionable intelligence.

Never again must this country be sold an incomplete and false prospectus as a basis for unilateral military action without the sanction of the United Nations.

Never again must Britain find itself on such a basis so distanced from principal partners within Europe.

Never again should our troops find themselves without proper and adequate equipment in a war zone.

Never again should such supreme Prime Ministerial power be allowed to progress without sufficient checks and balances. And without the proper operation of collective Cabinet government itself.

And never again should a so-called "official opposition" be entitled to that name when it so pathetically fails to fulfil its most basic parliamentary function and duty - the provision of constructive and effective questioning of the executive of the day.