The Green Party has called for MPs to make a democratic decision on any military move against Colonel Gaddafi's forces in Libya.
Caroline Lucas, Green Party leader and MP for Brighton Pavilion, tabled an Early Day Motion in parliament yesterday, calling on the coalition government to "introduce legislation to make it mandatory that any decision to commit our troops to war should be approved by Parliament."
The motion comes in the wake of Green Party members voting unanimously at their spring conference to support the transfer of declaration of war powers to MPs.
On the subject of a no-fly zone, a Green Party spokesperson said: "We are not ruling out support for a no-fly zone, but it would need to be very carefully handled and would need the support of countries in the region. It would have to be something that the civilian population wanted, and only be enforced to protect the civilian population.
"Past no-fly zones have not always achieved the desired outcome and have not always protected the civilian population.
"Most importantly, the UN Security Council must refer the situation in Libya to the International Criminal Court. Colonel al-Gaddafi must understand that all those responsible for carrying out attacks on civilians will be held to account."
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EDM 1560
PARLIAMENTARY APPROVAL OF WAR
09.03.2011
Lucas, Caroline
That this House calls on the Government to introduce legislation to make it mandatory that any decision to commit our troops to war should be approved by Parliament