North Essex MP Bernard Jenkin forced the Government to squeeze a three-hour emergency debate on the war in Afghanistan into its schedule.
The shadow defence secretary told the Speaker of the Commons Michael Martin, that MPs would be failing in their duty if he did not press for the discussion and Mr Martin took the unusual step of granting the Conservative's request.
The debate, requested under a parliamentary standing order, will now be held before next week's Easter break.
Mr Jenkin told the Commons: "Yesterday's announcement by the secretary of state for defence about the deployment of a British battle group of 1,700 Royal Marines for combat operations came as a surprise and represents a very major escalation of British combat operations in Afghanistan.
"These are issues which this House is entitled to discuss fully before 4-5 Commando is deployed.
"I twice pressed the Government for a debate in Government time. Let there be no doubt we will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Government in the war against terrorism."
Published Wednesday, March 20, 2002
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