Shropshire Star

MPs seek recall of parliament over Iraq crisis

MPs in the region today said politicians should be recalled from holiday to debate the crisis in the Middle East.

Published

Mid Wales MP Glyn Davies is among those asking for parliament to be recalled from summer recess.

It comes as David Cameron has tasked officials to identify how a refugee camp can be bolstered to cope with people fleeing Islamic militants.

The UK will continue aid drops over Mount Sinjar in northern Iraq in the coming days while plans to rescue stranded Yazidis are firmed up, including Britain's role in the action.

Montgomeryshire MP Mr Davies says that the world is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster, and Telford MP David Wright has supported his comments.

Mr Davies said: "One year ago Parliament was recalled from summer recess to consider Britain's response to the gassing of innocent civilians in Syria by President Bashar al-Assad. Prime Minister Cameron and President Obama were seriously contemplating a military response.

"After much discussion with and advice from many constituents, I decided that the case had not been made for a military strike against Damascus. But I did agree with David Cameron that we should not completely 'close the door' to intervention if circumstances changed.

"I was on the losing side. The House of Commons decided to completely rule out military intervention no matter what. I thought that was a very bad day for world peace and that forces of evil would have been watching, and realising that NATO powers were not willing to act, even to prevent the worst of atrocities against innocents.

"Sadly, that is where we are today. In Syria, 200,000 have been killed, many probably gassed. Another eight million have been made refugees. Because Western media is banned, this reign of terror hardly features on our news channels - a disgraceful failure of our free press.

"On the Eastern border of Ukraine, a Russian war making machine is gathering, almost certainly to invade the free country of Ukraine, no doubt on some trumped up pretext of 'peacekeeping'. Its likely thousands will die. "

"In Kurdistan whole populations of minorities are being slaughtered simply because they are who they are. Christians are being given the choice of converting to Islam, fleeing or being killed. Yazidis are being treated even worse, reported to be being buried alive. The barbarism of the Islamic State (Isis) is beyond inhuman."

"For evil to prosper all it needs is for good people to do nothing. President Obama has been forced to act to save the lives of innocents being crushed before the Islamic State.

"The UK is also sending humanitarian aid to save Christians trapped on Mount Sinjar. The UK is sending Typhoons and Chinooks to help. I fully support all this, but it does seem very little, very late.

"Thankfully, the ceasefire in Gaza in holding. We hope the worst of the violence is over.

"I am desperately keen to return to Westminster, to take part in a recalled House of Commons debate.

"We are on the brink of a humanitarian disaster, with innocents being killed on a massive scale. Parliament would indeed be recalled if Government decided to embark on military action. Because doing nothing could be an even worse option, we should be recalled to Westminster immediately."

David Wright said he agreed the recalling of parliament should be looked at in the light of current world events.

He said: "I think the prime minister and the leader of the opposition need to consult about whether parliament should be recalled.

"Certainly if our involvement continues to increase in terms of any operations I think parliament should probably debate the issue."

Philip Dunne, MP for south Shropshire and a defence minister, said: "I think this is a matter for the Prime Minister to decide, it really is his call. The point is that we're currently doing a humanitarian mission, for which a recall is not necessary. But if it were to move into anything else a recall would be more likely."

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.