Labour slams government for “waiting for instructions from Trump” over Syria
Labour has insisted on a parliamentary vote over military intervention in Syria, after Theresa May last night indicated she was prepared to back the US and France with airstrikes.
After a two-hour meeting with Cabinet ministers, the Prime Minister was given the backing "to work with allies in the United States and France to coordinate an international response", a Downing Street spokesperson said.
During a subsequent phone call with US President Donald Trump, the two leaders "agreed it was vital that the use of chemical weapons did not go unchallenged, and on the need to deter the further use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime".
This morning Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said UK involvement in a military campaign "risks escalating an already devastating conflict" and slammed May for "waiting for instructions from Trump on how to proceed".
“Ministers should take their proposals, such as they are, to parliament," he added. "And Britain should press for an independent UN-led investigation of last weekends horrific chemical weapons attack so that those responsible can be held to account."
The life-long pacifist, who was criticised by his own party for failing to blame Syria ally Russia for last month's nerve agent attack in Salisbury, called for "a coordinated international drive to achieve a ceasefire".
He added: “The need to restart genuine negotiations for peace and an inclusive political settlement of the Syrian conflict, including the withdrawal of all foreign forces, could not be more urgent. We must do everything we can, no matter how challenging, to bring that about."
And during an interview with the BBC's Today Programme, shadow home secretary Diane Abbott underlined his position, saying "the Labour party believes there is no military solution" to the crisis in Syria.
Asked if she believed that military intervention could ever be justified, she added: "Well there was the Second World War”.
During an interview with Westminster journal House Magazine, shadow international development secretary Kate Osamor said Assad should be "removed" and "intervention should take place" if it were found that he gassed his own people.
"This world is messed up… its not easy. But if a leader is killing their own they need to be removed. We dont keep them there. They need to go. He needs to be removed," she said.
The front bencher also suggested Corbyn should allow his ministers to respond on matters such as Salisbury and Syria "because it seems that whatever he says is not good enough – its too strong or its not strong enough.”
However, she has since issued a statement claiming the quotes were used "selectively" and "simply don't represent my views".
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