Mind the Gap: Parliament in the Age of Remote Warfare

This briefing by explores the origins of the War Powers Convention and parliament’s role in scrutinising the UK government’s use of lethal force over the last decade. It argues that the debate over whether to introduce either a war powers resolution or law has stalled due to innumerable caveats that stand in the way of such developments and the increasingly covert nature of the UK government's overseas militarily activity. The briefing makes the case for upholding the principles of the Convention through alternative means, such as empowering parliamentary committees to take on a more active role in setting the UK’s defence and security strategy.

This report was first published by Oxford Research Group as part of their Remote Warfare Programme.