Steve Webb, Liberal Democrats, Northavon

Constituency: Northavon
Candidate Name: Steve Webb
Political Party: Liberal Democrats

(1.) Did you believe Tony Blair's 45 minute claim?

YES – at the time it was one of a number of issues that Mr Blair used to build up a picture of the situation in Iraq. If the PM said weapons could be deployed within 45 minutes, there seemed no reason at the time not to believe it.

(2.) Do you believe the invasion of Iraq was legal?

NO – UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has confirmed that it was illegal under international law.

(3.) Do you think the world is a safer place since the invasion & occupation of Iraq?

NO - The conflict has not only placed severe strain on international relations between the Muslim world and the West, but it may have increased the international terrorist threat to the UK and other Western states.

(4.) Do you support Military Families Against The War's call to bring the British troops home?

Yes but not all at once. By invading, Britain has created a moral obligation to the Iraqi people to provide a stable, secure Iraq. Part of this is to hand over security to the Iraqi government in an orderly and phased manner, over a realistic timescale. It would simply be wrong to just cut and run.

(5.) Do you think the Iraqi people have the right to resist the occupation?

The Iraqis will soon have a Government with genuine legitimacy – according to the UN timetable; elections for a fully representative government should take place in December. Coalition forces need to leave in the near future, and this will support and entrench the full restoration of sovereignty to the Iraqi people.

(6.) Would you believe Tony Blair if he said he had secret information that Syria or Iran was a threat to Britain?

I would be very sceptical. A US commission appointed by the president has written a damning report describing the failures of US intelligence over Iraq as "major", and leaks suggest that many of the intelligence shortcomings are being repeated on Iran.

(7.) Would you support military action against Syria or Iran?

I can see no present justification for military action against either Syria or Iran

(8.) Do you approve of evidence obtained under torture being used in British courts?

NO

(9.) Do you think the USA & Britain have the right to decide who can & can't have weapons of mass destruction?

NO

(10.) Do you think George Bush is a threat to world peace?

I think that his actions and rhetoric generate division and make conflicts more likely.