Corbyn Condemns US Missile Attack On Syria

Jeremy Corbyn has condemned the US missile attack, saying it "risks escalating the war in Syria still further".

Mr Corbyn warned that US President Donald Trump's decision to take military action could further intensify a conflict that has already left hundreds of thousands of people dead.

The Labour leader, known for his anti-war views, went on to press the government to "urge restraint on the Trump administration" and push for peace negotiations. He said:

"The US missile attack on a Syrian government air base risks escalating the war in Syria still further."

"Tuesday's horrific chemical attack was a war crime which requires urgent independent UN investigation and those responsible must be held to account." He added, however, that:

"Unilateral military action without legal authorisation or independent verification risks intensifying a multi-sided conflict that has already killed hundreds of thousands of people."

"What is needed instead is to urgently reconvene the Geneva peace talks and unrelenting international pressure for a negotiated settlement of the conflict.

"The terrible suffering of the Syrian people must be brought to an end as soon as possible and every intervention must be judged on what contribution it makes to that outcome.

"The British government should urge restraint on the Trump administration and throw its weight behind peace negotiations and a comprehensive political settlement."

Mr Corbyn was the last leader of a major British political party to respond to the overnight attacks by the US, in a possible sign of the awkwardness faced by the long-term peace campaigner.

He used to chair the Stop the War Coalition, which has called the attacks "shameful" and called for protests outside Downing Street given the UK Government's support for military action.

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson, meanwhile, called the attacks "a direct and proportionate response to a clear violation of international law".

He told the Birmingham Mail: "Indiscriminate chemical weapons attacks on civilians can never be tolerated and must have consequences.

"It's vital that the United States is now clear about its intentions and that the whole international community works towards a political settlement in Syria."

Labour MP John Woodcock, who chairs the party's backbench defence committee, added:

"The US action overnight was proportionate and should have Labour's full support."

Labour has faced major splits over military intervention in Syria in recent times.

In August 2013, then-Labour leader Ed Miliband led the rebellion against Prime Minister David Cameron's plans for air strikes against Syria's President Assad, in response to chemical weapons attacks against civilians.

MPs voted against the Government motion by 285 votes to 272, ruling out joining US-led strikes.

But Mr Miliband has since been criticised for the vote, which critics say has allowed the crisis in Syria to deepen.

The issue returned to the fore in December 2015, when Mr Corbyn faced defiance from his own MPs over the issue.

Mr Corbyn again warned against military intervention in the war-torn country.

However, 66 Labour MPs backed the government in taking military action after being given a free vote on the issue.

This included then-shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, who gave a rousing speech in the Commons in support of military intervention. On Friday morning, Mr Benn tweeted:

"Let's hope Syria will now think twice before deciding to gas its own people again. Priority must be humanitarian assistance for civilians."

Moderate Labour MPs such as Angela Eagle, who have criticised Mr Corbyn in the past, also backed the US action on social media.

Another critic of Mr Corbyn, Labour MP Michael Dugher, tweeted:

"Stop criticising Corbyn's slow response: it takes time for Seamas [Milne] to run the draft statement by the Kremlin, Stop the War + the Morning Star."