Lib Dem Leader Menzies Campbell presses Gordon Brown to announce timetable for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq


Speaking at Gordon Brown’s first PMQs as new Prime Minister, Sir Menzies called for the immediate withdrawal of British troops from Iraq, an inquiry into allegations of corruption over arms sales and a renegotiation of the "one-sided" extradition treaty with America.


Responding to Sir Menzies’ question on the British troops in Iraq, the Prime Minister said:


“As I said yesterday, my door is always open to the right hon. and learned Gentleman. On these issues, let me tell him this: it would be wrong to set a timetable at this stage. What we have done is reduce the number of troops from 44,000 to 5,500, and move from combat to over-watch in three provinces of Iraq. What we await is a decision to move to over-watch in the fourth province of Basra, but we have obligations, which we have accepted, both to the United Nations and the Iraqi government, and we are not going to break those obligations at this stage.”


Sir Menzies hit back by saying:


“When I look at the Prime Minister’s door it appears to be more of a trap door than anything else - so there is not much evidence of change there.”

Sir Menzies went on to call on Mr Brown to link tax to pollution, to scrap the council tax and to abandon his "headlong rush" to new nuclear power stations.

The Prime Minister tried to justify the decision by saying that a new generation of nuclear power plants were the only way to secure supply and make sure Britain was not reliant on "one or two countries".

PMQs Transcript

MC: Like everyone else, I am delighted at the release of Mr. Alan Johnston. I am sure that I am not the only one to be impressed by his remarkable dignity and composure while being interviewed this morning.

The Prime Minister entered No. 10 Downing Street with a promise of change. Will he now set a target for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq; will he order the reopening of the investigation into allegations of corruption in relation to arms sales; and will he renegotiate the one-sided extradition treaty with the United States?

PM: As I said yesterday, my door is always open to the right hon. and learned Gentleman. On these issues, let me tell him this: it would be wrong to set a timetable at this stage. What we have done is reduce the number of troops from 44,000 to 5,500, and move from combat to over-watch in three provinces of Iraq. What we await is a decision to move to over-watch in the fourth province of Basra, but we have obligations, which we have accepted, both to the United Nations and the Iraqi government, and we are not going to break those obligations at this stage.

As for the right hon. and learned Gentleman’s two other questions, I have made it clear that decisions on prosecutions are not for the Prime Minister or the Government, and the extradition treaty with the United States is a matter for continuing discussion.


MC: When I look at the Prime Minister’s door it appears to be more of a trap door than anything else - so there is not much evidence of change there. Will the government now abandon their headlong rush towards a new generation of nuclear power stations? Will they undertake to tax pollution more than earnings? Finally, will they abolish the unfair and regressive council tax?

PM: Surely the events of the past year should make it clear to everyone that we cannot rely on an energy policy that makes us wholly dependent on one or two countries or regions across the world. That is why we have made the decision to continue with nuclear power, and why the security of our energy supply is best safeguarded by building a new generation of nuclear power stations. On the council tax, let me remind the right hon. and learned Gentleman that he got very little support from the electorate for his policy of local income tax.

Please click here to watch Menzies Campbell’s speech on parliament live TV
(Note the video will only be available 28 days after the speech)