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| Syria strikes - latest updates: Chemical weapons inspectors have entered Douma, Syrian state media says | Syria strikes - latest updates: Chemical weapons inspectors have entered Douma, Syrian state media says |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Chemical weapons inspectors have entered Douma, the location of the alleged poison gas attack on 7 April, according to Syrian state media. The UK and US had accused Russia and Syria of blocking the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) team from the area, which Russia denied. | Chemical weapons inspectors have entered Douma, the location of the alleged poison gas attack on 7 April, according to Syrian state media. The UK and US had accused Russia and Syria of blocking the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) team from the area, which Russia denied. |
| It had previously said it would grant the inspectors access on Wednesday, after suggesting any delay was due to Saturday’s joint air strikes and a lack of proper permits – an assertion denied in turn by the UN. On Tuesday, France said it was “very likely” that evidence was “disappearing” from Douma while inspectors waited in Damascus to be allowed in. | It had previously said it would grant the inspectors access on Wednesday, after suggesting any delay was due to Saturday’s joint air strikes and a lack of proper permits – an assertion denied in turn by the UN. On Tuesday, France said it was “very likely” that evidence was “disappearing” from Douma while inspectors waited in Damascus to be allowed in. |
| It came as MPs held a second emergency debate on the use of Britain’s armed forces in Saturday’s air strikes. Jeremy Corbyn and others have criticised Theresa May for not giving parliament a vote on military action, but the prime minister defended the bombings as “a limited, targeted strike on a legal basis that has been used before” designed to disrupt Syria’s chemical weapons capability. | It came as MPs held a second emergency debate on the use of Britain’s armed forces in Saturday’s air strikes. Jeremy Corbyn and others have criticised Theresa May for not giving parliament a vote on military action, but the prime minister defended the bombings as “a limited, targeted strike on a legal basis that has been used before” designed to disrupt Syria’s chemical weapons capability. |
| But the Government won the support of MPs at a symbolic vote on the issue of whether it should consult parliament before taking military action in Syria. The 317 to 256 vote went against a call by Mr Corbyn to protest Ms May's decision to launch strikes against Syria without first seeking approval. | |
| Please allow a moment for the live blog to load | Please allow a moment for the live blog to load |
| Representatives of the UK, US and Russia had spent much of Monday in diplomatic combat over chemical inspectors’ access to Douma. The US’ envoy to the OPCW, Kenneth Ward, said he believed Russian personnel had visited the site and voiced fears it may have been tampered with, prompting Moscow’s foreign minister to “guarantee” this was not the case. | Representatives of the UK, US and Russia had spent much of Monday in diplomatic combat over chemical inspectors’ access to Douma. The US’ envoy to the OPCW, Kenneth Ward, said he believed Russian personnel had visited the site and voiced fears it may have been tampered with, prompting Moscow’s foreign minister to “guarantee” this was not the case. |
| Meanwhile, reports in Syrian state media early on Tuesday morning that a fresh missile strike had been launched against two air bases in the country were incorrect, government-run outlets later said. | Meanwhile, reports in Syrian state media early on Tuesday morning that a fresh missile strike had been launched against two air bases in the country were incorrect, government-run outlets later said. |
| Air defences were triggered due to a false alarm, state television said, having previously reported that a new missile attack had targeted Syria’s Sharyat air base, near Homs, and the Dumayr air field north-east of Damascus. The Pentagon had denied US involvement and Israel declined to comment. | Air defences were triggered due to a false alarm, state television said, having previously reported that a new missile attack had targeted Syria’s Sharyat air base, near Homs, and the Dumayr air field north-east of Damascus. The Pentagon had denied US involvement and Israel declined to comment. |
| During Tuesday’s second-round debate, Ms May said it was “right” that she took the decision on the military strike, and told MPs that coming to parliament before undertaking military action would “compromise the effectiveness of our operations and safety of British servicemen and women”. | During Tuesday’s second-round debate, Ms May said it was “right” that she took the decision on the military strike, and told MPs that coming to parliament before undertaking military action would “compromise the effectiveness of our operations and safety of British servicemen and women”. |
| Intelligence and assessments “cannot be shared in full” with parliament, she added. | Intelligence and assessments “cannot be shared in full” with parliament, she added. |
| Mr Corbyn, who previously said Saturday’s strikes were of “questionable legality”, told the Commons that “The executive must be the servant of parliament, not the other way round”. | Mr Corbyn, who previously said Saturday’s strikes were of “questionable legality”, told the Commons that “The executive must be the servant of parliament, not the other way round”. |