The Wit and Wisdom of... Robin Cook, Mk. III

Tonight Parliament has the opportunity to insist that Ministers must accept responsibility for their conduct in office and to assert that the health of our democracy depends on the honesty of Government to Parliament. That is what we shall vote for tonight. 

Of course Conservative Members have enough votes to defeat us. If they vote to reject those principles, however, they will demonstrate not only that the two Ministers who have been most criticised in the Scott report should leave office, they will convince the public that this is an arrogant Government who have been in power too long to remember that they are accountable to the people, and that the time has come when the people must turn them all out of office.

Robin Cook, 26/02/1996, on the Scott Report into government arms sales to Iraq, contrary to UN sanctions. Widely seen as one of the best parliamentary performances of modern times, the debate and vote nearly destroyed the Conservative government.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/historic_moments/newsid_8183000/8183769.stm

(To give an idea of Cook in full flow on the issue!)