İngiltere’den flaş Suriye kararı

Yapılan oylamanın nihai karar olmadığı vurgulandı. Bu akşamki oylamanın sadece askeri müdahaleyi prensipte onaylama oylaması olduğu belirtilerek, İngiltere’nin askeri müdahale emrini verecek asıl kararın ikinci oylamada belli olacağı kaydedildi. İkinci oylama ile alınacak nihai kararın Birleşmiş Milletler denetim raporu sonucu açıklandıktan sonra alınacağı bildirildi. Ayrıca ikinci oylamanın ne zaman yapılacağına dair bir tarih belirtilmedi.

UK Politics

29 August 2013 Last updated at 18:35 ET

David Cameron loses Commons vote on Syria action

David Cameron: “It is clear to me that the British parliament… does not want to see British military action”

British MPs have voted to reject possible military action against the Assad regime in Syria to deter the use of chemical weapons.

A government motion was defeated by 285 to 272, a majority of 13 votes.

Prime Minster David Cameron said it was clear Parliament does not want action and “the government will act accordingly”.

It effectively rules out British involvement in any US-led strikes against the Assad regime.

And it comes as a potential blow to the authority of Mr Cameron, who had already watered down a government motion proposing military action, in response to the opposition Labour Party’s demands for more evidence of Assad’s guilt.

Labour had seen its own amendment – calling for “compelling” evidence – rejected by MPs by 114 votes.

PM ‘disappointed‘But – in an unexpected turn of events – MPs also rejected the government’s motion in support of military action in Syria if it was supported by evidence from United Nations weapons inspectors, who are investigating claims President Bashar al-Assad’s regime had used chemical weapons against civilians.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond confirmed that Britain would not be involved in any military action against the Assad regime – but said it would probably go ahead in any case.

“I expect that the US and other countries will continue to look at responses to the chemical attack.

“They will be disappointed that Britain will not be involved. I don’t expect that the lack of British participation will stop any action.”

He said he and the prime minister were “disappointed” with the result of the Commons vote which he said would harm Britain’s relationship with Washington.

“It’s certainly going to place some strain on the special relationship.

“The Americans understand the Parliamentary process. Perhaps they have been surprised by the scale of opposition.”

Iraq ‘poisoned the well’Mr Hammond came under fire earlier for claiming Ed Miliband had given “succour” to the Assad regime by refusing to back Mr Cameron

Asked if all the MPs, who voted against the government had given succour to Assad, he said “The word was put in my mouth. The Assad regime is going to be a little bit less uncomfortable tonight as a result of this vote in parliament.”

He blamed the 2003 Iraq war for “poisoning the well” of public opinion against British military interventions in the Middle East.

But Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said the government defeat was down to the “fatally flawed” case put to MPs by Mr Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, claiming the pair’s credibility was now “diminished”.

But shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said: “Parliament is entirely unpredictable sometimes and I don’t think many people saw this coming.”

He said so many of Mr Cameron’s own MPs had voted with Labour because they were now “unwilling to take him at his word”.

Conservative rebel Douglas Carswell said: “There is not now going to be British military involvement in Syria, but that is a good thing, the system works.”

Leading Tory rebel John Baron said he was also “pleased the prime minister has listened” to Parliament.