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| Nick Clegg warns over Syria intervention | Nick Clegg warns over Syria intervention |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Nick Clegg has highlighted the dangers of military intervention in Syria, warning that Britain must not become embroiled in a conflict it would struggle to influence. | Nick Clegg has highlighted the dangers of military intervention in Syria, warning that Britain must not become embroiled in a conflict it would struggle to influence. |
| In a sign of how the Liberal Democrats would resist direct British military involvement in Syria, the deputy prime minister said it was difficult to intervene in a conflict in which "people are absolutely determined to butcher each other". | In a sign of how the Liberal Democrats would resist direct British military involvement in Syria, the deputy prime minister said it was difficult to intervene in a conflict in which "people are absolutely determined to butcher each other". |
| The remarks by Clegg in his weekly radio phone-in programme on LBC suggest David Cameron would struggle to win cabinet approval for any direct involvement by the armed forces in Syria. | |
| The prime minister hopes to keep open the possibility of providing arms to the Syrian rebels. Clegg did not address that issue directly, though his remarks show that the Lib Dems remain wary of arming the opposition forces. | The prime minister hopes to keep open the possibility of providing arms to the Syrian rebels. Clegg did not address that issue directly, though his remarks show that the Lib Dems remain wary of arming the opposition forces. |
| In his LBC phone-in, the deputy prime minister said the government would continue to provide aid to Syrian refugees. Britain has also provided non-lethal equipment to the rebels. | In his LBC phone-in, the deputy prime minister said the government would continue to provide aid to Syrian refugees. Britain has also provided non-lethal equipment to the rebels. |
| Clegg said: "I am very proud that, as a country, our reaction isn't just: 'Oh this is happening, it's got nothing to do with us. We want to wash our hands of it.' We struggle with what can we do. It is the wonderful thing about Britain. We don't stand by. We don't walk the other side of the street. We want to get stuck in and sort stuff out." | Clegg said: "I am very proud that, as a country, our reaction isn't just: 'Oh this is happening, it's got nothing to do with us. We want to wash our hands of it.' We struggle with what can we do. It is the wonderful thing about Britain. We don't stand by. We don't walk the other side of the street. We want to get stuck in and sort stuff out." |
| But he indicated that Britain should not go beyond providing humanitarian assistance and non-lethal military equipment. After a caller from Jerusalem described Syria as a simple issue, Clegg said: "It isn't simple when you have got this bloody civil war where people are at each other's throats in a country where the idea that we can just sort it out from outside, when people are absolutely determined to butcher each other, is not simple. But we struggle with this every single day. | But he indicated that Britain should not go beyond providing humanitarian assistance and non-lethal military equipment. After a caller from Jerusalem described Syria as a simple issue, Clegg said: "It isn't simple when you have got this bloody civil war where people are at each other's throats in a country where the idea that we can just sort it out from outside, when people are absolutely determined to butcher each other, is not simple. But we struggle with this every single day. |
| "We have taken a number of steps. We work very closely, and will continue to particularly with the French and the Americans, because we have got to do this as an international community. But at the same time we don't want to get embroiled in a military conflict where we can't necessarily be the authors of its solution." | "We have taken a number of steps. We work very closely, and will continue to particularly with the French and the Americans, because we have got to do this as an international community. But at the same time we don't want to get embroiled in a military conflict where we can't necessarily be the authors of its solution." |
| On a lighter note, Clegg confirmed that Barack Obama had described him as the better-looking half of the coalition as he attended a lunch with the president and the prime minister. Clegg joked: "Do you know what? It was a passing comment. Any observer looking at the three of us would conclude that the person who looked the coolest was Obama. I should think he [Cameron] didn't even hear it. It was in quite a scrum as we were going into a lunch." | On a lighter note, Clegg confirmed that Barack Obama had described him as the better-looking half of the coalition as he attended a lunch with the president and the prime minister. Clegg joked: "Do you know what? It was a passing comment. Any observer looking at the three of us would conclude that the person who looked the coolest was Obama. I should think he [Cameron] didn't even hear it. It was in quite a scrum as we were going into a lunch." |