Robin Cook

Cook's resignation statement on 17 March 2003 starts with gentle humour about his return to the back benches, acknowledges colleagues, and then develops his objections to war in Iraq. He separates respect for the Prime Minister from disagreement over policy and sets out reasons rather than relying on the resignation itself as an argument. The combination of personal courtesy, compact structure and clear distinctions makes this a useful example of principled parliamentary dissent. It should be read as a complete case, not just its most quoted sentences.