Labour MP "Cross" She Couldn't Debate Syrian Airstrike In Parliament

14 April 2018, 13:43

Catherine West said she was "cross" that she wasn't given the opportunity to ask questions about the intelligence that drove the decision to target the Syrian regime in airstrikes.

The former shadow Foreign Minister defended criticism by Jeremy Corbyn of the government's decision to target the Syrian regime in airstrikes.

Jeremy Corbyn criticised Theresa May for "legally questionable" action that he believed makes real accountability for war crimes and use of chemical weapons "less likely".

Catherine West told Matt Frei that "asking questions is what opposition members should be doing" and that she thought her Conservative colleagues "should as well".

She said: "There's no reason why parliament can't sit on a Saturday.

"The chamber is empty.

The Labour MP thought that the government was making similar mistakes to those made int he lead up to the Iraq war.

"I think there are some real questions about who the opposition is in Syria.

"Some of the groups which are operational in Syria have got questionable motives and there are even terrorist organisations.

"And I think these are the sort of questions that I, as a member of parliament, would like to ask on behalf of my constituency.

"And I am being denied that opportunity and I'm very cross about it."