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Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn said the co-ordinated attacks on the French capital, which left at least 127 dead, were an “act of war” – but all but ruled out backing UK air strikes in response.
...
He outlined his thinking: “Why? Because the vacuum in which Isil/Daesh [Islamic State] in Syria thrives is a consequence of that civil war.
“Therefore I hope that the talks that are taking place really will redouble their efforts to say, look we’ve got a find a way of bringing this to a conclusion – we’ve got to bring this to an end.
“Because then, people can then really focus their efforts on the threat from Isil/Daesh and the circumstances in Syria will have changed.”
Mr Benn, who supports military intervention to protect civilians, said he did not think the Government was planning to come forward with a proposal to extend air strikes from Iraq into Syria.
But asked if he thought they should, Mr Benn said: “No.” He added: “They have to come up with an overall plan, which they have not done. I think the focus for now is finding a peaceful solution to the civil war.”
The shadow Foreign Secretary added: “The most useful contribution we can make is to support as a nation the peace talks that have started. That is the single most important thing we can do.”
...
MPs’ scepticism towards military action hardened after the Tory-led Foreign Affairs Select Committee called on the government to rule out the prospect until a strategy had been developed to defeat IS. Mr Benn said Russia’s intervention into the conflict to prop up President Bashar al-Assad had complicated matters even further, and called for a negotiated peace.
He said: “The government has come to realise the Russian military intervention has changed the position on the ground, and I think that has given them pause for thought.”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/hilary-benn-shadow-foreign-secretary-says-labour-wont-back-air-strikes-on-syria-a6734651.html
Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn said the co-ordinated attacks on the French capital, which left at least 127 dead, were an “act of war” – but all but ruled out backing UK air strikes in response.
...
He outlined his thinking: “Why? Because the vacuum in which Isil/Daesh [Islamic State] in Syria thrives is a consequence of that civil war.
“Therefore I hope that the talks that are taking place really will redouble their efforts to say, look we’ve got a find a way of bringing this to a conclusion – we’ve got to bring this to an end.
“Because then, people can then really focus their efforts on the threat from Isil/Daesh and the circumstances in Syria will have changed.”
Mr Benn, who supports military intervention to protect civilians, said he did not think the Government was planning to come forward with a proposal to extend air strikes from Iraq into Syria.
But asked if he thought they should, Mr Benn said: “No.” He added: “They have to come up with an overall plan, which they have not done. I think the focus for now is finding a peaceful solution to the civil war.”
The shadow Foreign Secretary added: “The most useful contribution we can make is to support as a nation the peace talks that have started. That is the single most important thing we can do.”
...
MPs’ scepticism towards military action hardened after the Tory-led Foreign Affairs Select Committee called on the government to rule out the prospect until a strategy had been developed to defeat IS. Mr Benn said Russia’s intervention into the conflict to prop up President Bashar al-Assad had complicated matters even further, and called for a negotiated peace.
He said: “The government has come to realise the Russian military intervention has changed the position on the ground, and I think that has given them pause for thought.”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/hilary-benn-shadow-foreign-secretary-says-labour-wont-back-air-strikes-on-syria-a6734651.html
Leadership material.
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