Syria

Many of you have contacted me with concerns about the growing violence that is occuring in Syria.

The shocking images that we have seen of the chemical attacks on the Syrian people and the evidence which strongly suggests these attacks were carried out by the Syrian authorities against its own people are truly appalling.

I thought long and hard about my vote and whether I could support a military intervention. In the end I chose not to support this action as I remain concerned that military intervention is not the right course to try to halt the attacks on civilians in Syria.

Following the vote in Parliament, the Prime Minister made clear that the UK will not take part in military action in Syria.

That doesn't mean the UK should wash its hands of trying to bring an end to the conflict in Syria. Labour asked the Government to bring Syria to the top of the formal agenda of the G20.

The UK must work with our allies, to ensure a renewed diplomatic initiative to bring together the warring sides of conflict, to contain the crisis within Syria and minimise its spill over across the region, and address the shameful shortfall in international humanitarian support to victims of this conflict.

There are no easy options to end the violence in Syria but I do not believe that military intervention is the way forward.