Results 1-20 of 284 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:Malcolm Rifkind

Oral Answers to Questions — Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Iran's Nuclear Programme (20 Oct 2009)

Malcolm Rifkind: Does the Foreign Secretary agree that the missing link in international efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution has, unfortunately, been the continuing reluctance of Arab states to be prepared to put public pressure on Iran, despite their oft-repeated—in private—serious reservations about Iran's nuclear ambitions? Does he agree that if the Arab states were to put public pressure...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Afghanistan and Pakistan (14 Oct 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: While it is unlikely that the Taliban can be eliminated, even with increased NATO troops, is it not equally true that it is impossible for the Taliban to conquer Afghanistan relying, as they do, on roadside bombs and suicide bombers? Does that not point to the need to convince the Taliban that NATO will stay there for as long as necessary? That means that even if we are able gradually to...

Oral Answers to Questions — Children, Schools and Families: Libya (12 Oct 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: Is the Foreign Secretary aware that, as Secretary of State for Scotland in 1988, I had to travel to Lockerbie on the night of the disaster? Never for a moment did I expect that the person convicted of murdering more than 200 people would be released and sent home having served only eight years of a 27-year minimum sentence. Is the Foreign Secretary aware that he has made a remarkable...

Bills Presented: Afghanistan and Pakistan (16 Jul 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: The right hon. Member for Airdrie and Shotts (John Reid) is right to say that the conflict in Afghanistan has changed over the past eight years. It is much more serious than was anticipated, and that has given rise to a degree of public concern. However, although we recognise that there are real problems in Afghanistan, it is important that we are careful to ensure that they are not presented...

Bills Presented: Afghanistan and Pakistan (16 Jul 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: Has the hon. Gentleman considered the point that he—and, I think, most of the speeches so far—has concentrated on the situation in Afghanistan when we know that during the last couple of years there has been an enormous spread of the Taliban in Pakistan, which is also associated with al-Qaeda activity? Will he comment on the implications for the much more serious situation in...

Oral Answers to Questions — Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Iran (30 Jun 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: Does the Foreign Secretary agree that the repression in Iran is already having consequences far beyond the borders of that country and has dealt a body blow to Iran's aspirations to be seen as the champion of Islam in the middle east? Has not President Ahmadinejad been revealed, not as a popular President who is governing with the consent of the people of Iran, but as a local despot who is...

Opposition Day — [14th allotted day]: Iraq Inquiry (24 Jun 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: The Minister says that the Government have been in listening mode and that they want to go along with the armed forces, so will he now accept the overwhelming view on both sides of the House that someone with a military background should be a full member of the committee of inquiry? If he is not prepared to accept that, will he explain why not?

Opposition Day — [14th allotted day]: Iraq Inquiry (24 Jun 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: The hon. Member for Cannock Chase (Dr. Wright) put his finger on it when he said that 30 years after Franks it was inconceivable that anyone should have thought that such an inquiry could be held in private. He knew that, I knew that and the whole House knew that, so it prompts the question why the Prime Minister was of a different mind. Given that he had months to determine the announcement...

Opposition Day — [14th allotted day]: Iraq Inquiry (24 Jun 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: I am not entirely convinced that Sir John Chilcot has changed his mind. I have no doubt that, as the chair of the inquiry, he had to accept what the democratically elected Government of the day decided. I turn to the question of composition. I agreed with what the right hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Dr. Strang) said. I have nothing against Baroness Prashar and I am sure that she is an...

Opposition Day — [14th allotted day]: Iraq Inquiry (24 Jun 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: The Foreign Secretary has just said that the Chilcot inquiry will be completely free to write its own report as it wishes. Will he therefore confirm that, like the Franks committee, if the Chilcot inquiry decides that it wishes to attribute blame, it will be entirely free to do so?

Opposition Day — [14th allotted day]: Iraq Inquiry (24 Jun 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: So the answer is yes?

Opposition Day — [14th allotted day]: Iraq Inquiry (24 Jun 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: Does my right hon. Friend agree that the most outstanding continuing defect in the Government's proposals was shown in the Prime Minister's statement last week that the inquiry that he has established, unlike the Franks inquiry, will not be able to apportion blame even if it believes it appropriate? My right hon. Friend said in his speech on 25 March that if the inquiry had not completed its...

European Affairs (16 Jun 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: The EU has in the past adopted a quite successful common position with regard to dialogue with Iran. Does the Foreign Secretary agree that the prospects for a meaningful dialogue with Iran by either the EU or the United States are pretty grim, however, if the Iranian authorities do not show respect for what is clearly the will of the Iranian people in determining their future Government?

European Affairs (16 Jun 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: The Foreign Secretary must be fair if he is going to quote selectively from my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Clarke). The Foreign Secretary quoted correctly, but my right hon. and learned Friend went on to say that what the Conservative party is pledged to do is seek the repatriation of certain powers, quite apart from the Lisbon treaty, and that...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Constitutional Renewal (10 Jun 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: May I, in the kindest possible way, suggest that today's statement is a rag-bag of ill-considered proposals brought forward in the last 11 months of this Parliament by an exhausted Prime Minister. That is no more apparent than in regard to his proposals for a written constitution. He knows that although much of our existing law is written, one thing that has made our democracy evolve in such...

Oral Answers to Questions — Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Cyprus (19 May 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: Does the Foreign Secretary accept that the European Union made a historic mistake in accepting Cyprus as a member while the island remained deeply divided between its Greek and Turkish communities? Did that not help the Greek Cypriots in their decision to reject the Annan peace plan in 2004? Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that lessons have to be learned from that with regard to any...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Afghanistan and Pakistan (29 Apr 2009)

Malcolm Rifkind: If, as the Prime Minister has indicated, the Afghan Taliban and the Pakistan Taliban are now working closely together and co-operating, is it not about time that the Afghan Government and the Pakistan Government showed a similar degree of co-operation? Is the Prime Minister aware that one of the major problems is that since 1948 the Afghan Government have consistently refused to recognise the...

Oral Answers to Questions — Treasury: Reserves (Review) (28 Apr 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: The Minister cannot expect the House to be impressed by his suggestion a few moments ago that the reserves might actually grow in strength, on a day when he has just announced a further 2,000 cuts in their manpower. He will not deny that since this Government came into power, the reserves have virtually halved from 62,000 to 33,000. If, for perhaps sensible reasons, it is necessary to...

Oral Answers to Questions — Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Iran (31 Mar 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: What his most recent assessment is of Iran's nuclear programme; and if he will make a statement.

Oral Answers to Questions — Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Iran (31 Mar 2009) has video

Malcolm Rifkind: With North Korea, it has proved useful to include its neighbours, Japan and South Korea, in the negotiations to discourage it from going down the nuclear weapons route. Should not Iran's neighbours, particularly Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt, be invited by the Security Council to join the negotiations over Iran, especially as the Iranians need to realise that those three countries might...