Read 1 thing today: Hilary Benn's superb speech last night explaining why Parliament is right to join UN action

http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/full-text-of-hilary-benns-extraordinary-speech-in-favour-of-syria-airstrikes/

Boris article explains why he will be supporting the extension of action against Isil from Iraq to Syria badlands following UN decision

In the last 10 days, the UN Security Council has voted unanimously that “all necessary means” should be used to remove this haven for terror; and that is because every member of the security council – indeed every member of the UN – shares David Cameron’s reasonable ambition: to degrade and ultimately to destroy this gangster statelet.
To those who say we risk blowback, I say we already face a systematic terrorist threat; and it is wrong to contract out the fight. You cannot say the do-nothing option has worked: we have seen 240,000 people killed in Syria; we have seen millions displaced; the biggest refugee crisis in our lifetimes and terrorist plots emanating from the ideological cesspit of the so-called Islamic state. Of course bombing alone will not solve the problem; everyone can see that. But the military and political effort must go hand in hand, and Britain must be part of both. I hope Parliament votes resoundingly to join our allies in taking the fight to the enemy.


The proposal is not offered in a spirit of vindictiveness, or neo-con ideology. This motion represents the sober judgment of the Prime Minister about how to make this country safer – in the short and long term – from a movement that poses a growing threat to our way of life. The rhythm of horror has been quickening: the killing of 30 British tourists on a beach in Tunisia in June, the Russian jet blown from the sky earlier this month, the Paris massacre two weeks ago – all of them claimed directly by Syria-based Daesh/Isil – to say nothing of many other grisly bombings and shootings around the world.

At home, British security services and counter-terrorism police are now obliged to monitor thousands of people who could intend harm to this country. The pace of activity has accelerated to the point where they are now making almost one arrest every day. A 15-year-old British boy was recently sentenced to life imprisonment – yes, life – for his role in a terrorist plot. He was radicalised over the internet. The men who corrupted him were based in the so-called Islamic State in Syria.

In June, a 17-year-old from Dewsbury became this country’s youngest home-grown suicide bomber – again, after he travelled to Daesh-held territory in Syria.
The reality is that we have counter extremism work to do here, the need for regional diplomacy at the Vienna talks, and counter finance policies, but ultimately we are facing a real and genuine conflict. we already prosecute this action in Iraq. Isil do not recognise these borders. Neither should we.

Boris full article is here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/12023796/Bombing-Syria-is-not-the-whole-solution-but-its-a-good-start.html

Syria: UN mandate, the 36 page response to the foreign affairs SC + PM on Thursday determine my support

An assessment of the Syria situation requires a number of things: we already carry out such missions over Iraq. As to the extension of this to Syria I would urge any constituent to assess three key documents. The approach of the UN is key. But the best document is the very very detailed 36 page response by the government to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. This is an explanation of what this entails, what diplomatic efforts are being made, what is the road map to a long term peace, and what reconstruction post isil looks like.
Then there is the 3 hour session in parliament on Thursday where the PM took 103 questions from across the house.

1. What does the unanimous resolution 2249 of the UN say? I would urge constituents to read this as a starter: http://www.un.org/press/en/2015/sc12132.doc.htm
The key paragraph is:

“5.   The UN Calls upon Member States that have the capacity to do so to take all necessary measures, in compliance with international law, in particular with the United Nations Charter, as well as international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law, on the territory under the control of ISIL also known as Da’esh, in Syria and Iraq, to redouble and coordinate their efforts to prevent and suppress terrorist acts committed specifically by ISIL also known as Da’esh as well as ANF, and all other individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities associated with Al-Qaida, and other terrorist groups, as designated by the United Nations Security Council, and as may further be agreed by the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) and endorsed by the UN Security Council, pursuant to the statement of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) of 14 November, and to eradicate the safe haven they have established over significant parts of Iraq and Syria;"

2. The cross party foreign affairs select committee sought detailed answers to a number of questions. The full response of the government is here:
http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/foreign-affairs/PM-Response-to-FAC-Report-Extension-of-Offensive-British-Military-Operations-to-Syria.pdf

In the response the PM addresses the key questions which are:

Why?

Why us?

Why now?

Is what we are contemplating legal?

Where are the ground troops to help us meet our objectives?

What is the strategy that brings together everything that we are doing, particularly in Syria?

Is there an end to this conflict and is there a plan for what follows?

3. The PM provided a statement to the House of Commons and answered 103 questions from members of Parliamanetary from all parts of the House. This can be found here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm151126/debtext/151126-0001.htm#15112625000002
As always we will await the motion itself that Parliament is asked to support but I believe we have the UN backed legal mandate, that we have a clear roadmap from a diplomatic point of view, and that the very very detailed response to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee provides answer to the key issues that we all need to have addressed. I shall be supporting the Prime Minister.

PM in Commons on Syria today this morning as William Hague writes a persuasive column advocating action v Isil

Today the PM will come to the Commons and take questions from all sides as to the governments approach to action against Isil. As always he will take questions from all sides.
At the same time William Hague has written a robust piece in the telegraph as to why he supports action:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/12014935/We-were-wrong-about-Iraq.-But-were-not-wrong-on-Syria.html

Westminster this week - Welfare Reform Bill dominates

We are reaching the end of the summer term of parliament this week, with long debates ahead on welfare reform, the finance Bill which enacts much of the budget, and questions to the Chancellor on Tuesday.
I am sure that today will also see a parliamentary discussion of the past usage of UK troops working with americans and other allies in actions against Isil. The Defence Secretary of State will make a statement I suspect at 3.30. The reality is that there is a huge difference between UK planes and specific forces flying sorties in Syria and a few individual pilots working with US forces as part of an embedded unit. For example, special forces from a host of different countries, have been working together on multiple missions in various places as part of embedded groups for decades.  

The longer term discussion that is going to have to be had at some stage is the issue of widening the air strikes against Isil from Iraq, where we already take part, to flights and missions using UK Aircraft over and in Syria, against Isil.  As the horror in Tunisia proved, both the terror group and its message is a threat to British citizens.  The border between Iraq and Syria is now real only on maps.  The argument is that it makes no sense to stop attacking ISIS’s forces when they flee to the latter side of it. Like many I will listen to the Defence Secretary at 3.30.
I have various constituency meetings in the next few days and then will be staying on in London to finish up a large amount of casework, correspondence and loose ends before heading north on Friday.