Robin Cook's iconic speech in the Commons received overwhelming support from 'middle England' voters, following his resignation over Iraq in 2003. Speculation arises on whether Cook's actions were influenced by his sacking as Foreign Secretary by Blair.
Sorry Geordie, but RC was For Sec 1997-2001. After election Straw replaced him. Cook resigned over Iraq in 2003 when he was Ldr of the Commons. He must have hoped to get back via Brown succession m, but died suddenly https://t.co/p1MRbPisKg
Secretary of State 19 years later https://t.co/aTbvJK7R1C
Cook was not sacked he resigned in protest /now fair enough WMDs in 45 minutes Blair may well have a different version but lets be honest who but the most gullible believes a word he says https://t.co/3Q1XkzLrGO
But Steve, another “ what if” question is, would Cook have made that speech if Blair hadn’t sacked him as Foreign Secretary? I don’t know either, but we do know that RC went along with the NATO-only attack on Serbia over Kosovo in 1998 https://t.co/OfBYPpmH44
There has been no great speech in the Commons since this one..soon after I visited Cook in his office where he was dwarfed by cards and letters thanking him for the speech..as he noted many were from ‘middle England’ voters who T Blair had assumed would expect him to support a US… https://t.co/5y7VyPKLaq