There were no recalls of Parliament for 9 years – and now David Cameron has carried out two in two months.
Since 1948 there have been 24 events leading to Parliament being recalled to debate matters of grave importance. Most have involved foreign affairs – although the Queen Mother’s death makes a surprising appearance.
Here is a link to the Parliament website where it has the full details, including precise days – and more background information. (My colleague James Blitz points out that only once before has this happened in August – and that was in 1968.)
September 1949: Devaluation
September 1950: Korean War
October 1951: Prorogation – followed by dissolution
September 1956: – Suez Crisis; Cyprus
September 1959: Prorogation – followed by dissolution
October 1961: Berlin Crisis
January 1968: Government expenditure cuts
August 1968: Czechoslovakia, Nigeria
May 1970: Prorogation – followed by dissolution
September 1971: Fuel
January 1974: Northern Ireland
April 1982 (Saturday 3rd): Falkland Islands
April 1982 (14th): Falkland Islands
September 1990: Kuwait invasion
September 1992: Government economic policy; UN operations in Yugoslavia, Iraq, Somalia
May 1995: Bosnia
September 1998: Omagh bomb: criminal justice (terrorism and conspiracy) bill
September and October 2001: international terrorism and attacks in the USA
April 2002: Death of HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
September 2002: Iraq and WMD
July 20th, 2011: Public confidence in the media and police
August 11, 2011: (Now scheduled) Riots on the streets of London
Jim Pickard
Kiran Stacey