The Right Honourable  Robin Cook
Leader of the House of Commons Lord President of the Council
In office 8 June 2001 – 17 March 2003
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Margaret Beckett
Succeeded by	John Reid
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
In office 2 May 1997 – 8 June 2001
Preceded by	Malcolm Rifkind
Succeeded by	Jack Straw
Member of Parliament for Edinburgh Central
In office 28 February 1974 – 9 June 1983
Preceded by	Thomas Oswald
Succeeded by	Alexander Fletcher
Member of Parliament for Livingston
In office 9 June 1983 – 6 August 2005
Preceded by	(new constituency)
Succeeded by	Jim Devine
Born	28 February 1946(1946-02-28) Bellshill, Scotland
Died	6 August 2005 (aged 59) Inverness, Scotland
Political party	Labour

Robert Finlayson Cook (28 February 1946 – 6 August 2005), better known as known as "Robin Cook", was a politician in the British Labour Party. He was Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2001. He resigned from his post as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council on 17 March 2003 in protest against the 2003 invasion of Iraq. At the time of his death he was president of the Foreign Policy Centre and a vice-president of the America All Party Parliamentary Group and the Global Security and Non-Proliferation All Party Parliamentary Group. The Right Honourable (abbreviated as or ) is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Anglophone Caribbean and in other Commonwealth Realms, and elsewhere. ... Image File history File links w:Robin Cook, December 4, 1997 (image reference) (image source) image cropped; full photo includes Cook with w:William Cohen File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons. ... The Office of Lord President of the Council is a British cabinet position, the holder of which acts as presiding officer of the Privy Council. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... Margaret Mary Beckett (née Jackson; born 15 January 1943) is a British Labour politician and Member of Parliament (MP) for Derby South. ... John Reid PC (born 8 May 1947) is a British politician who is Home Secretary and Member of Parliament (MP) for the Scottish constituency of Airdrie and Shotts in the United Kingdom. ... The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (commonly referred to as Foreign Secretary) is a member of the British Government responsible for relations with foreign countries, heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (often called simply the Foreign Office). ... is the 122nd day of the year (123rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Sir Malcolm Leslie Rifkind, KCMG, QC (born 21 June 1946) is a Scottish Conservative and Unionist politician and Member of Parliament for the constituency of Kensington and Chelsea. ... John Whitaker Straw (born August 3, 1946) is a British Labour Party politician. ... Edinburgh Central is a constituency represented in the Scottish Parliament. ... is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... is the 160th day of the year (161st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Jimi Hendrix song, see 1983. ... Thomas Oswald (1 May 1904 - 23 October 1990) was a Labour Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom. ... Sir Alexander MacPherson Fletcher (26 August 1929 - 16 September 1989) was a British Conservative Party politician. ... Livingston is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... is the 160th day of the year (161st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Jimi Hendrix song, see 1983. ... is the 218th day of the year (219th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jim Devine (born circa 1953) is a Scottish union official and politician. ... is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... St Andrews Church, Bellshill Bellshill is a village in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, two miles north of Motherwell. ... This article is about the country. ... is the 218th day of the year (219th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the city in Scotland. ... This article is about the country. ... The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ... is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 218th day of the year (219th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A politician is an individual who is a formally recognized and active member of a government, or a person who influences the way a society is governed through an understanding of political power and group dynamics. ... The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom. ... The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (commonly referred to as Foreign Secretary) is a member of the British Government responsible for relations with foreign countries, heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (often called simply the Foreign Office). ... A resignation is the formal act of giving up ones office or position. ... The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons. ... The Office of Lord President of the Council is a British cabinet position, the holder of which acts as presiding officer of the Privy Council. ... is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the 2003 invasion of Iraq. ... The Foreign Policy Centre is a British think tank specialising in foreign policy. ... The America All Party Parliamentary Group is - as the name suggests - a cross-party group consisting of members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, whose purpose is to prompt friendly relations and mutual understanding between members of Congress and Members of Parliament; to arrange for the exchange of visits...

Background and personal life

Robin Cook was born in Bellshill, Scotland, the only son of Peter and Christina Cook. His father was a science teacher and his grandfather was a miner before being blacklisted for being involved in a strike. He studied English Literature at the University of Edinburgh earning an MA, and after a brief period as a schoolteacher became a local councillor in Edinburgh in 1971. He was introduced to horse racing by his wife, Margaret Cook (whom he married in 1969 and with whom he had two sons, Peter and Christopher) and worked as a racing tipster in his spare time. St Andrews Church, Bellshill Bellshill is a village in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, two miles north of Motherwell. ... This article is about the country. ... The term English literature refers to literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; Joseph Conrad was Polish, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, Salman Rushdie is Indian, V.S... The University of Edinburgh (Scottish Gaelic: ), founded in 1582,[4] is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland. ... A Master of Arts in Scotland is an academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the four ancient universities of Scotland, the University of Dundee and also Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. ... A councillor is a member of a council (such as a city council), particularly in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and other parts of the Commonwealth. ... For other uses, see Edinburgh (disambiguation). ... Horse racing in the United Kingdom is generally of three types, and is a major contributor to the UK economy. ... In horse racing, the form of a horse is a record of significant events including its performance in previous races. ...

Shortly after he became Foreign Secretary, Cook ended his marriage with Margaret, revealing that he had an extra-marital affair with one of his staff, Gaynor Regan.^[1] He announced his intentions to leave his wife and marry another woman via a press statement made at Heathrow. Cook was forced in to a decision over his private life after a telephone conversation with Alastair Campbell as he was about to go on holiday with his first wife. Campbell explained that the press was about to break the story of his affair with Regan. His estranged wife subsequently accused him of having had several extramarital affairs and alleged he was an alcoholic. He married Regan in 1998, shortly after his divorce was finalised. The title of Foreign Secretary has been traditionally used to refer to the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. ... This article is about the act of adultery. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... King Alcohol and his Prime Minister circa 1820 Alcoholism is the consumption of or preoccupation with alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the alcoholics normal personal, family, social, or work life. ...

Parliamentary career

Cook unsuccessfully contested the Edinburgh North constituency in the 1970 general election, but was elected to the House of Commons at the February 1974 general election as Member of Parliament for Edinburgh Central. When constituency boundaries were revised for the 1983 general election, he transferred to the new Livingston constituency, which he represented until his death. Edinburgh North was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1983. ... The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on June 18, 1970, and resulted in a surprise loss of power for Labour under Harold Wilson, who was replaced as Prime Minister by the Conservative leader, Edward Heath. ... Type Lower House Speaker Michael Martin, (Non-affiliated) since October 23, 2000 Leader Harriet Harman, (Labour) since June 28, 2007 Shadow Leader Theresa May, (Conservative) since May 5, 2005 Members 659 Political groups Labour Party Conservative Party Liberal Democrats Scottish National Party Plaid Cymru Democratic Unionist Party Sinn Féin... The UK general election of February 1974 was held on February 28, 1974. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... Edinburgh Central is a constituency represented in the Scottish Parliament. ... The UK general election, 1983 was held on June 9, 1983 and gave the Conservatives and Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945. ... Livingston is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ...

In parliament, he joined the left-wing Tribune Group of the Parliamentary Labour Party and frequently opposed the policies of the Wilson and Callaghan governments. He was an early supporter of constitutional and electoral reform (although he opposed devolution in the 1979 referendum, eventually coming out in favour on election night in 1983), and of efforts to gain more women MPs. He also supported unilateral nuclear disarmament and the abandoning of the Labour Party's euroscepticism of the 1970s and 1980s. Despite his role in modernising the party under Kinnock and Smith, Cook was said to be never fully committed to Blair's "New Labour" project, considering it a step too far to the right. In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms which refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially in the American sense of the word), or with opposition... Tribune is a democratic socialist weekly, currently a magazine though in the past more often a newspaper, published in London. ... The Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) consists of the Labour Party in Parliament: Labour MPs as a collective body. ... Electoral reform projects seek to change the way that public desires are reflected in elections through electoral systems. ... Look up Devolution in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... U.S. and USSR/Russian nuclear weapons stockpiles, 1945-2006 Nuclear disarmament is the proposed dismantling of nuclear weapons, particularly those of the United States and the Soviet Union (later Russia) targeted on each other. ... Euroscepticism has become a general term for opposition to the process of European integration. ...

He became known as a brilliant parliamentary debater, and rose through the party ranks, becoming a frontbench spokesman in 1980, and reaching the Shadow Cabinet in 1987, as Shadow Social Services Secretary. He was campaign manager for Neil Kinnock's successful 1983 bid to become leader of the Labour Party, and was one of the key figures in the modernization of the Labour Party under Kinnock. He was Shadow Health Secretary (1989-92) and Shadow Trade Secretary (1992-94), before taking on foreign affairs in 1994, the post he would become most identified with (Shadow Foreign Secretary 1994-97, Foreign Secretary 1997-2001). The Shadow Cabinet (also called the Shadow Front Bench) is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition (or the leader of other smaller opposition parties) form an alternative cabinet to the governments, whose... This article is about the year 1987. ... Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock, PC (born 28 March 1942) is a British politician. ...

In 1994, following the death of John Smith, he ruled himself out of contention for the Labour leadership, apparently on the grounds that he was insufficiently attractive to be an election winner, although two close family bereavements in the week in which the decision had to be made may have contributed. John Smith QC (September 13, 1938 – May 12, 1994) was a British politician who served as leader of the Labour Party from July 1992 until his sudden and unexpected death from a heart attack on 12 May 1994. ...

On 26 February 1996, following the publication of the Scott Report into the 'Arms-to-Iraq' affair, he made a famous speech in response to the then President of the Board of Trade Ian Lang in which he said "this is not just a Government which does not know how to accept blame; it is a Government which knows no shame". His parliamentary performance on the occasion of the publication of the five-volume, 2,000-page Scott Report — which he claimed he was given just two hours to read before the relevant debate, thus giving him three seconds to read every page — was widely praised on both sides of the House as one of the best performances the Commons had seen in years, and one of Cook's finest hours. is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... The Scott Report was a judicial inquiry commissioned in 1992 after reports of arms sales in the 1980s to Iraq by British companies surfaced. ... The Arms-to-Iraq affair concerned the uncovering of the government-endorsed sale of arms by British companies to Saddam Husseins Iraq. ... Ian Bruce Lang, Baron Lang of Monkton, PC, (born June 27, 1940) is a Scottish Conservative & Unionist politician. ...

Portrait of Robin Cook and his dogs, Tammy and Tasker, by Edinburgh artist, Fionna Carlisle, completed in 2005 and now on permanent display in the House of Commons Gallery. In the lower right is a copy of Hansard, dated 17 March 2003, the day he resigned from the Cabinet over the decision to go to war with Iraq.

As Joint Chair (alongside Liberal Democrat MP Robert Maclennan) of the Labour-Liberal Democrat Joint Consultative Committee on Constitutional Reform, Cook brokered the 'Cook-Maclennan Agreement' that laid the basis for the fundamental reshaping of the British constitution outlined in Labour's 1997 General Election manifesto. This led to legislation for major reforms including Scottish and Welsh devolution, the Human Rights Act and removing the majority of hereditary peers from the House of Lords. Others have remained elusive so far, such as a referendum on the electoral system and further House of Lords reform. Image File history File linksMetadata Fionnacarlisle. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Fionnacarlisle. ... Hansard is the traditional name for the printed transcripts of parliamentary debates in the Westminster system of government. ... is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, is a liberal political party in the United Kingdom formed in 1988 by the merger of the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party; the two parties had already been in an alliance for seven years prior to this, since not long... Robert Adam Ross Maclennan, Baron Maclennan of Rogart, PC (born June 26, 1936), educated at Balliol College, Oxford, is a British Liberal Democrat politician. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... Look up Devolution in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Human Rights Act 1998 is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which received Royal Assent on November 9, 1998, and mostly came into force on October 2, 2000. ... This article is about the British House of Lords. ...

After his 2003 resignation from the Cabinet, Cook remained an active backbench Member of Parliament until his death. After leaving the Government, Cook was a leading analyst of the decision to go to war in Iraq, giving evidence to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee which was later relevant during the Hutton and Butler inquiries. He was sceptical of the proposals contained in the Government's Higher Education Bill, and abstained on its Second Reading.^[2] He also took strong positions in favour of both the proposed European Constitution,^[3] and a majority-elected House of Lords,^[4][5] about which he said (whilst Leader of the Commons), "I do not see how [the House of Lords] can be a democratic second Chamber if it is also an election-free zone". A backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition. ... The Hutton Inquiry was a British judicial inquiry chaired by Lord Hutton, appointed by the British government to investigate the death of a government weapons expert, Dr. David Kelly. ... On February 3, 2004 the British Government announced an inquiry into the intelligence relating to Iraqs weapons of mass destruction which played a key part in the Governments decision to invade Iraq (as part of the U.S.-led coalition) in 2003. ... The Higher Education Act 2004 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which introduced several changes to the higher education system in the United Kingdom. ... A second reading is the state of the legislative process where a draft of a bill is read a second time. ... The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, commonly referred to as the European Constitution, is an international treaty intended to create a constitution for the European Union. ... Elect The Lords is a campaign established in September 2004 by the New Politics Network and Charter88 calling for the UK House of Lords to be replaced by a predominantly elected Second Chamber. ...

In the years after his exit from the Foreign Office, and particularly since his resignation from the Cabinet, Cook made up with Gordon Brown after decades of personal animosity^[6] — an unlikely reconciliation after a mediation attempt by Frank Dobson in the early 1990s had seen Dobson conclude (to John Smith) "You're right. They hate each other." Cook and Brown focused on their common political ground, discussing how to firmly entrench progressive politics after the exit of Tony Blair.^[7] Chris Smith said in 2005 that in recent years Cook had been setting out a vision of "libertarian, democratic socialism that was beginning to break the sometimes sterile boundaries of 'old' and 'New' Labour labels."^[8] Some commentators and senior politicians said that Cook seemed destined for a senior Cabinet post under a Brown premiership.^[9] For others with the same or similar names, see Gordon Brown (disambiguation). ... The Right Honourable Frank Gordon Dobson (born March 15, 1940) is a British politician and member of Parliament for Holborn and St. ... Christopher Robert Chris Smith, Baron Smith of Finsbury, PC (born 24 July 1951) is a British Labour Party politician and former Member of Parliament and Cabinet minister. ...

In government

Foreign Secretary

With the election of a Labour government at the 1997 general election, Cook became Foreign Secretary. He was believed to have coveted the job of Chancellor of the Exchequer, but that job was reportedly promised by Tony Blair to Gordon Brown. He announced, to much scepticism, his intention to add "an ethical dimension" to foreign policy. The UK general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997. ... The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister responsible for all economic and financial matters. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... For others with the same or similar names, see Gordon Brown (disambiguation). ...

His term as Foreign Secretary was marked by British interventions in Kosovo and Sierra Leone. Both of these were controversial, the former because it was not sanctioned by the UN Security Council, and the latter because of allegations that the British company Sandline International had supplied arms to supporters of the deposed president in contravention of a United Nations embargo. Cook was also embarrassed when his apparent offer to mediate in the dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir was rebuffed. The ethical dimension of his policies was subject to inevitable scrutiny, leading to criticism at times. For other uses, see Kosovo (disambiguation). ... A session of the Security Council in progress The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations. ... Sandline International was a private security (military) company based in London, established in the early 1990s. ... UN redirects here. ... Kashmir (or Cashmere) may refer to: Kashmir region, the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent India, Kashmir conflict, the territorial dispute between India, Pakistan, and the China over the Kashmir region. ...

He is credited with having helped resolve the eight-year impasse over the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial by getting Libya to agree to hand over the two accused (Megrahi and Fhimah) in 1999, for trial in the neutral venue of the Netherlands but according to Scots law. Bargaining impasse occurs when the two sides negotiating an agreement are unable to reach agreement and become deadlocked. ... The trial began on May 3, 2000 The Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial began on May 3, 2000, which was 11 years, four months and 13 days after the sabotage of Pan Am Flight 103 on December 21, 1988. ... Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi (born April 1, 1952) is a former Libyan intelligence officer, head of security for Libyan Arab Airlines, and director of the Center for Strategic Studies in Tripoli. ... Fhimah celebrates his acquittal with Colonel Gadaffi Al Amin Khalifa Fhimah (born April 4, 1956) is a former station manager for Libyan Arab Airlines in Luqa airport, Malta. ... Scots law is a unique legal system with an ancient basis in Roman law. ...

In March 1998, a diplomatic rift ensued with Israel when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu angrily canceled a dinner with Cook, while Cook was visiting Israel and had demonstrated opposition to the expansion of Israeli settlements.^[10]   (‎, Binyamin Bibi Netanyahu, born October 21, 1949, Tel Aviv) was the 9th Prime Minister of Israel and is Chairman of the Likud Party. ...

Leader of the House of Commons

After the 2001 general election he was moved, against his wishes, from the Foreign Office to be Leader of the House of Commons. This was widely seen as a demotion — although it is a Cabinet post, it is substantially less prestigious than the Foreign Office — and Cook nearly turned it down. In the event he accepted, and looking on the bright side welcomed the chance to spend more time on his favourite stage. According to The Observer,^[11] it was Blair's fears over political battles within the Cabinet over Europe, and especially the euro, which saw him unexpectedly demote the pro-European Cook. Tony Blair William Hague Charles Kennedy The UK general election, 2001 was held on 7 June 2001 and was dubbed the quiet landslide by the media. ... The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... For other uses, see Euro (disambiguation). ...

As Leader of the House he was responsible for reforming the hours and practices of the Commons and for leading the debate on reform of the House of Lords. He also spoke for the Government during the controversy surrounding the membership of Commons Select Committees which arose in 2001, where Government whips were accused of pushing aside the outspoken committee chairs Gwyneth Dunwoody and Donald Anderson. He was President of the Party of European Socialists from May 2001 to April 2004. Gwyneth Patricia Dunwoody (née Phillips) (12 December 1930 – 17 April 2008)[1] was the longest ever serving female Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom both by length of total and length of continuous service. ... Donald Anderson, Baron Anderson of Swansea, PC, DL (b. ... The Party of European Socialists (PES) is a European political party whose members are 33 social democratic, socialist and labour parties of the European Union member states as well as Norway. ... This article is about the year. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In early 2003, during a live television appearance on BBC current affairs show Question Time, he was inadvertently referred to as "Robin Cock" by David Dimbleby. Cook responded with attempted good humour with "Yes, David Bumblebee", and Dimbleby apologised twice on air for his slip. The episode also saw Cook in the uncomfortable position of defending the Government's stance over the impending invasion of Iraq, weeks before his resignation over the issue. For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Question Time is a topical debate television programme in the United Kingdom, based on Any Questions?. It is currently shown on BBC One at 22:35 on Thursdays, and typically features politicians from the three major political parties and other public figures who answer questions put to them by the... David Dimbleby CBE (born October 28, 1938) is a long standing BBC TV commentator, a presenter of current affairs and political programmes, and more recently, art and architectural history series. ...

He documented his time as Leader of the House of Commons in a widely acclaimed book 'The Point of Departure', which discussed in diary form his efforts to reform the House of Lords and to persuade his ministerial colleagues, including Tony Blair, to distance the Labour Government from the foreign policy of the Bush administration. The former Political Editor of Channel 4 News, Elinor Goodman called the book 'the best insight yet into the workings of the Blair cabinet', whilst the former Editor of The Observer, Will Hutton, called it 'the political book of the year - a lucid and compelling insider's account of the two years that define the Blair Prime Ministership'. The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons. ... This article is about the British House of Lords. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... The Bush administration includes President George W. Bush, Vice President Richard Cheney, Bushs Cabinet, and other select officials and advisors. ... This article is about the British television station. ... Elinor Goodman (born 11 October 1946) is a UK journalist, best known as Political Editor of Channel 4 News from 1988 to 2005. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Craig is a British writer, weekly columnist (and former editor-in-chief) for The Observer in London and currently Chief Executive of The Work Foundation (formerly the Industrial Society). ...

Resignation over Iraq war

In early 2003 he was reported to be one of the cabinet's chief opponents of military action against Iraq, and on 17 March he resigned from the Cabinet. In a statement giving his reasons for resigning he said, "I can't accept collective responsibility for the decision to commit Britain now to military action in Iraq without international agreement or domestic support." He also praised Blair's "heroic efforts" in pushing for the so-called second resolution regarding the Iraq disarmament crisis. Cook's resignation speech in the House of Commons, received with an unprecedented standing ovation by fellow MPs, was described by the BBC's Andrew Marr as "without doubt one of the most effective, brilliant, resignation speeches in modern British politics."^[12] Most unusually for the British parliament, Cook's speech was met with growing applause from all sides of the House (beginning with Labour and Liberal Democrat critics of the war), and from the public gallery. According to the Economist's obituary, that was the first speech ever to receive a standing ovation in the history of the House, Tony Blair's resignation speech being the second and most recent. Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The House of Commons is a component of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also includes the Sovereign and the House of Lords. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Andrew Marr (born 31 July 1959, Glasgow, Scotland) is a Scottish journalist and political commentator. ... The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London. ...

Al-Qaida

Cook described Al-Qaida as a product of a western miscalculation, in a 2005 newspaper column:

"Bin Laden was, though, a product of a monumental miscalculation by western security agencies. Throughout the 80s he was armed by the CIA and funded by the Saudis to wage jihad against the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. Al-Qaida, literally "the database", was originally the computer file of the thousands of mujahideen who were recruited and trained with help from the CIA to defeat the Russians."^[13]

The CIA Seal The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an American intelligence agency, responsible for obtaining and analyzing information about foreign governments, corporations, and individuals, and reporting such information to the various branches of the U.S. Government. ... Al-Qaeda (Arabic: القاعدة, the foundation or the base) is the name given to a worldwide network of militant Islamist organizations under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. ...

Death and conflicting reports

On 6 August 2005, Cook was with Gaynor on the mountain Ben Stack in Sutherland, Scotland, when he suffered a severe heart attack. Some early reports suggested that he had died before reaching the summit,^[14] but according to his last SMS he had already climbed it and was descending,^[15] despite earlier reports that neither of the walkers had a mobile phone. Cook's wife said that he collapsed and that she had called out and attracted a stranger in order to use his mobile at 2:23 pm. Due to the lack of time, Gaynor was not winched onto the helicopter and walked down the mountain with the wanderer.^[16] Cook was flown from the mountain at 3:01 pm, to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness where he was pronounced dead at 4:05 pm. The post mortem revealed that Cook died of hypertensive heart disease,^[17] although the paramedics at the scene had speculated that he died of a broken neck. is the 218th day of the year (219th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ben Stack is a mountain located in northern Scotland (grid reference NC269422), in the county of Sutherland. ... Sutherland (Cataibh in Gaelic) is a committee area of the Highland Council, Scotland, a registration county, and a lieutenancy area. ... This article is about the country. ... Raigmore Hospital is a hospital in Inverness, Scotland. ... This article is about the city in Scotland. ... An autopsy (also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy or obduction) is a medical procedure that consists of a thorough examination performed on a corpse after death, to evaluate disease or injury that may be present and to determine the cause and manner of a persons death. ...

Funeral

A funeral service was held on 12 August 2005, at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, even though Cook had been an atheist.^[18] Gordon Brown gave the eulogy, and then German foreign minister Joschka Fischer was one of the attendees. British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was on holiday at the time, did not attend the funeral. In his speech at the funeral, Cook's friend, the eccentric racing pundit, John McCririck, denounced Blair for not attending. Though many thought Blair had snubbed Cook, the majority of the congregation felt that what McCririck had said was inappropriate, especially as he was invited to talk about Cook's love for horse racing. For other uses, see Funeral (disambiguation). ... is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... St Giles Cathedral A prominent feature of the Edinburgh skyline, St Giles Cathedral decorates the midpoint of the Royal Mile with its rounded hollow-crown tower. ... For other uses, see Edinburgh (disambiguation). ... For information about the band, see Atheist (band). ... For others with the same or similar names, see Gordon Brown (disambiguation). ... Look up eulogy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Joschka Fischer Joseph Martin Joschka Fischer (April 12, 1948 – ) was German foreign minister and Vice Chancellor in the government of Gerhard Schröder from 1998 to 2005. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... John McCririck (born 17 April 1940, Surbiton, Surrey is an English television horse racing pundit. ...

In January 2007, a headstone was erected in Grange Cemetery in Edinburgh where Cook is buried with the message: "I may not have succeeded in halting the war, but I did secure the right of parliament to decide on war." It is a reference to Cook's strong opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the words were reportedly chosen by his wife and his two sons from his previous marriage, Chris and Peter.^[19]

Cook's death was to be followed 13 days later by the death of fellow former cabinet member, Mo Mowlam. Marjorie Mo Mowlam (18 September 1949 – 19 August 2005) was a British politician, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Labour Member of Parliament. ...

In 2003, Cook came ninth in The Glasgow Herald's poll, The Most Scottish Person in the World.
Charles Mackintoshs Glasgow Herald building, now The Lighthouse The Herald is a national broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, Scotland, with an audited circulation of 71,000, making it the best-selling national Scottish broadsheet newspaper. ...

Bibliography

• The Point of Departure by Robin Cook (Simon & Schuster, 2003) ISBN 0-7432-5255-1

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 77th day of the year (78th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Guardian. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Wikisource has original works written by or about:

Robin Cook

Wikinews has related news:

Robin Cook dies after a collapse

• Guardian Unlimited Politics — Special Report: Robin Cook (1946 - 2005)
• TheyWorkForYou.com — Robin Cook MP
• NNDB — Robin Cook
• Cook's "ethical foreign policy" speech, 12 May 1997
• Cook's resignation statement in the House, 17 March 2003
• The Fruitceller 2 - A huge Video Archive for the Anti-War Movement Contains video of Robin Cooks resignation speech AND the Arms to Iraq Enquiry

Articles Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ... Image File history File links WikiNews-Logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

• Robin Cook's chicken tikka masala speech, Robin Cook, The Guardian, 19 April 2001.
• "Obituary: Remembering Robin Cook One year on" from Labour Party (Ireland)
• "Obituary: Robin Cook" from BBC News
• "Obituary: Robin Cook" from The Guardian
• Cook resigns from cabinet over Iraq, Matthew Tempest, The Guardian, 17 March 2003
• "The sacrifice", Kamal Ahmed, The Observer, June 10, 2001
• "Worse than irrelevant", Robin Cook's last article, The Guardian, 29 July 2005
• From the Lords to Lebanon, Labour misses Robin Cook, David Clark, Guardian Unlimited, 5 August 2006.
• Lingering Questions about Robin Cook's Death

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Guardian Unlimited is a British website owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... is the 217th day of the year (218th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Type Bicameral Houses House of Commons House of Lords Speaker of the House of Commons Michael Martin MP Speaker of the House of Lords Hélène Hayman, PC Members 1377 (646 Commons, 731 Peers) Political groups Labour Party Conservative Party Liberal Democrats Scottish National Party Plaid Cymru Democratic Unionist... Thomas Oswald (1 May 1904 - 23 October 1990) was a Labour Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... Edinburgh Central is a constituency represented in the Scottish Parliament. ... The UK general election of February 1974 was held on February 28, 1974. ... 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Cover of Time Magazine April 12, 1926 Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax, known as Lord Irwin from 1926 until 1934, (1881-1959) was a British Conservative politician. ... Ernest Bevin (9 March 1881 - 14 April 1951) was a British labour leader, politician, and statesman best known for his time as Minister of Labour in the war-time coalition government, and as Foreign Secretary in the post-war Labour government. ... Herbert Morrison For others named Herbert Morrison, see Herbert Morrison (disambiguation). ... Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC (10 February 1894 – 29 December 1986), was a British Conservative politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. ... John Selwyn Brooke Lloyd, Baron Selwyn-Lloyd (28 July 1904 - 18 May 1978), known for most of his career as Selwyn Lloyd, was a British Conservative politician. ... 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