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| Syria air strikes: MP surgery cancelled over protest | Syria air strikes: MP surgery cancelled over protest |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Labour MP who backed air strikes on Syria has seen his Friday surgery for constituents called off over plans for an anti-war protest. | A Labour MP who backed air strikes on Syria has seen his Friday surgery for constituents called off over plans for an anti-war protest. |
| Stephen Doughty, MP for Cardiff South and Penarth, said managers of Moorland Community Centre in Splott cancelled it amid concerns for other visitors. | Stephen Doughty, MP for Cardiff South and Penarth, said managers of Moorland Community Centre in Splott cancelled it amid concerns for other visitors. |
| The MP said he had offered to meet protesters away from the venue, but they failed to reply. | The MP said he had offered to meet protesters away from the venue, but they failed to reply. |
| Mr Doughty said the cancellation was a shame for people who needed to see him. | Mr Doughty said the cancellation was a shame for people who needed to see him. |
| He and three Welsh Labour colleagues - Chris Bryant, Wayne David and Susan Elan Jones - joined the 11 Welsh Conservative MPs in voting for air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria in a Commons vote earlier in December. | He and three Welsh Labour colleagues - Chris Bryant, Wayne David and Susan Elan Jones - joined the 11 Welsh Conservative MPs in voting for air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria in a Commons vote earlier in December. |
| BBC Wales understands the protest was due to be held by supporters of the Stop The War Coalition, which has been asked to comment. | BBC Wales understands the protest was due to be held by supporters of the Stop The War Coalition, which has been asked to comment. |
| Writing on his website, Mr Doughty said: "Although I have no issue with the protesters making their case, the staff at the centre were understandably not at all comfortable with a protest picket taking place outside a venue that caters specifically for older and vulnerable people. | Writing on his website, Mr Doughty said: "Although I have no issue with the protesters making their case, the staff at the centre were understandably not at all comfortable with a protest picket taking place outside a venue that caters specifically for older and vulnerable people. |
| "The wellbeing of the centre users must be the main consideration, and I fully understand their decision. | "The wellbeing of the centre users must be the main consideration, and I fully understand their decision. |
| 'Knock-on effect' | 'Knock-on effect' |
| "Regrettably therefore, the surgery has had to be cancelled - and I sincerely apologise to any constituents who had planned to visit me there to seek assistance. They can of course contact my office to make alternative arrangements. | "Regrettably therefore, the surgery has had to be cancelled - and I sincerely apologise to any constituents who had planned to visit me there to seek assistance. They can of course contact my office to make alternative arrangements. |
| "I offered, in public, to meet with the protesters away from the surgery so as not to cause disruption to the Moorland centre and to those constituents who planned to attend - but the organisers did not respond. | "I offered, in public, to meet with the protesters away from the surgery so as not to cause disruption to the Moorland centre and to those constituents who planned to attend - but the organisers did not respond. |
| "It's a shame that this will now have a knock-on effect on people who might have needed urgent assistance." | "It's a shame that this will now have a knock-on effect on people who might have needed urgent assistance." |
| A total of 66 Labour MPs from across the UK backed the extension of military action, despite the opposition of their party leader Jeremy Corbyn. | A total of 66 Labour MPs from across the UK backed the extension of military action, despite the opposition of their party leader Jeremy Corbyn. |
| Mr Doughty defended his decision to vote for air strikes, saying he believed "the first responsibility of government and the opposition is to defend the national interest, and meet our international obligations". | Mr Doughty defended his decision to vote for air strikes, saying he believed "the first responsibility of government and the opposition is to defend the national interest, and meet our international obligations". |
| "These issues go well above internal party politics, and cross party political lines," he added. | "These issues go well above internal party politics, and cross party political lines," he added. |
| The day after the vote, his Labour colleague Chris Bryant told the Commons that many MPs had been subjected to abuse and intimidation for their views on air strikes. |