Liberal Democrat Leader calls for Iraq debate

6.12.28pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 24th Oct 2006

The government needs to explain its Iraq policy to Parliament, the Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell has said. The policy had "failed" and the Iraqi people had to take "responsibility for themselves."

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's PM programme, he said: "There is a moral obligation - even those of us who were opposed to the war accepted a moral obligation to the people of Iraq - but it can't be open-ended. It's got to be reflected in Iraqi government and in the Iraqi people taking responsibility for themselves."

The government needs to explain to Parliament and the UK public what was happening, as there had not been a debate on Iraq for two years. The US elections were prompting a close analysis of the US-Iraq policy and Sir Menzies said: "I think the strategy has failed. The Prime Minister and the President of the United States are the only two people who say it hasn't."