Share

Syria air strikes decision a shameful step backwards, says John McDonnell

It was dictators like Saddam Hussain who kept all these militants in check, and when he was deposed, and rightly, the West started to de-stabilise the whole region.

Advertisement

The list has been shared widely on social media, with a lot of users taking the opportunity to criticise the MPs on it.

Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, credited by many for giving a rousing closing speech during Wednesdays’ debate, was warned in a now-deleted tweet that he “will never walk the streets of Leeds unprotected again”. However, if you believe in the democracy that we all say is so precious, we should respect how they all voted in the Parliamentary debate. The party is also considering issuing a code of conduct for social media to members.

Corbyn supporters feeling gutted that many Labour MPs, including 11 shadow cabinet members, chose to back the Tories’ war lust should remember this reality.

Awkwardly flanked by his leader Jeremy Corbyn who had made his arguments against, Mr Benn confidently outlined the justification for action: including the consequences of inaction.

Addressing his party directly, Benn said: “We must now confront this evil”.

He said anyone intimidating MPs or their staff “should be removed from the party”.

Hilary Benn makes his points heard during his speech in the Commons yesterday.

But Tony Benn’s granddaughter, Emily Benn, urged Mr Salmond to retract his “deeply offensive” comments.

And this is exemplified by the weight of voting from the Labour Party last night.

Deselection of MPs was openly being brought up by visitors to the Facebook pages of grassroots Momentum groups – including for areas that cover pro-airstrike MPs Harriet Harman and Coyle in Southwark, Chuka Umunna in Lambeth, and Heidi Alexander and Jim Dowd in Lewisham – although the national leadership of the group is opposed to this.

“Momentum is not a threat to MPs who voted for bombing. And do we go after these terrorists in their heartlands from where they are plotting to kill British people or do we sit back and wait for them to attack us?”

“Every Member of Parliament tonight who votes for the government motion will be consciously and deliberate accepting the responsibility for the deaths of innocent people if the war begins, as I fear it will”.

He added: ” The strikes actually help to bring about a political settlement because the strikes take the action to Daesh, which is everyone’s enemy, and we do need to have a moderate opposition in Syria that can be part of the future government. “The selection of candidates is entirely a matter for local party members and rightly so”.

“There is no room in our party – of all parties – for abuse”.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell told BBC Radio 4 that while he was impressed with Benn’s speech, he was “anxious that the greatest oratory is going to lead us to the greatest mistakes”.

“But clearly there is a mood to ensure that the policies on which Jeremy Corbyn stood in defence of public services, in defence of workers’ rights, in defence of people’s living standards and so on are actually seen through”. “He is an honest, principled, decent and good man, and I think the Prime Minister must now regret what he said…and his failure to do what he should have done today, which is simply to say “I am sorry”. “We are calling for votes of no-confidence to be taken as well as lobbies of MP surgeries and constituency offices”.

Advertisement

Corbyn’s overwhelming victory was all the more remarkable for his struggle to secure the 35 nominating Labour MPs for his name to appear on the ballot paper, illustrating how out of touch many are.

Stella Creasy MP