In the summer of 2002, I remember rumours swirling that the governments of the US and UK were considering attacking Iraq.
I was listening with particular interest at that time, given that I was likely to be deployed to Iraq in the event of any intervention.
Wise heads at that time warned of the risk of “opening Pandora’s box”.
And so it was.
Writing on Monday, I feel it necessary to comment on the US-Israel attack on Iran.
There is no doubt that the Iranian government has run a poisonous administration.
It has murdered tens of thousands of its own citizens, including in recent months.
While ordering air strikes on Iran, President Donald Trump is urging citizens of Iran to overthrow their government.
This, without them having the means to do so, and without there being a viable alternative government waiting in the wings.
Gas prices have risen by 45 per cent, following Qatar's decision to shut down production.
This will affect all of us; we are likely to see energy prices climb once again, just weeks after we supposed that the energy price had stabilised.
On Monday, I commended the Prime Minister for having withheld UK agreement from the US for American use of our bases to attack Iran last weekend.
I pointed to how Harold Wilson had the UK play no part in the war in Vietnam, while Margaret Thatcher had the UK play no part in the war in Grenada.
Trump launched a full-scale attack on Iran, but he has also launched a full-scale assault on international law, with his targeted killing of the Iranian Supreme Leader.
Additionally, the Trump administration is showing little evidence that it has considered how this war might end.
The British government must keep the UK at a distance from the escalation that was brought on by Trump and Netanyahu.
I am concerned about the UK getting dragged in, as I warned the PM in the House of Commons chamber on Monday.
In 2002, President George W. Bush referred to three countries that constituted an “axis of evil”, which he said were seeking to acquire weapons of mass destruction.
They were Iraq, Iran, and North Korea.
Since that speech, two of those states failed to acquire nuclear weapons and were attacked, whereas one succeeded in obtaining nuclear weapons and remains untouched.
I am concerned that the US-Israel attack on Iran will encourage the development of nuclear weapons by hostile countries that prefer the fate of North Korea to the fate of Iran.
A US president has decided to ‘light the blue touch paper’ once again.
We need a British government that will shield us from the consequences.
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