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Syria crisis: Hammond plays down chances of new MPs' vote | Syria crisis: Hammond plays down chances of new MPs' vote |
(about 7 hours later) | |
The defence secretary has said MPs could be asked to vote again on action in Syria, but only if circumstances changed "very significantly". | The defence secretary has said MPs could be asked to vote again on action in Syria, but only if circumstances changed "very significantly". |
Labour urged Philip Hammond to "spell out" what would change his mind, after the coalition accepted the defeat of its Commons motion last week. | Labour urged Philip Hammond to "spell out" what would change his mind, after the coalition accepted the defeat of its Commons motion last week. |
But he said it was a "bit rich" of the opposition to "demand" answers, having led protests against military action. | |
Meanwhile, the US has delayed strikes pending the approval of Congress. | Meanwhile, the US has delayed strikes pending the approval of Congress. |
Secretary of State John Kerry now says the US has evidence the chemical nerve agent sarin was used by President Bashar al-Assad's government in a deadly attack in Damascus on 21 August. | |
The US put the death toll at 1,429, including 426 children. | |
In other developments: | In other developments: |
Last week, the government lost a Commons vote on supporting action, in principle, against Assad's government by 13 votes. | Last week, the government lost a Commons vote on supporting action, in principle, against Assad's government by 13 votes. |
Thirty-nine Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs sided with Labour to bring about the defeat, with several senior ministers since conceding that the question would not be asked again. | Thirty-nine Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs sided with Labour to bring about the defeat, with several senior ministers since conceding that the question would not be asked again. |
An ICM poll for the BBC - speaking to 1,000 people by telephone between Friday and Monday - suggested nearly three-quarters of people believed MPs had taken the right decision, and thought it would not harm US-UK relations. | |
But the US delay and its claims of fresh evidence against the Syrian regime has prompted suggestions from senior politicians that the House of Commons could reconsider its position. | |
Former Lib Dem and Conservative leaders Lord Ashdown and Lord Howard, and former Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind, have said the US's own delay could allow the House of Commons to "think again". | |
Conservative London Mayor Boris Johnson also insisted a new proposal "inviting British participation" could still be put before Parliament, | |
In the Commons, Labour's shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy asked Mr Hammond to "spell out in what, if any, circumstances" the government would hold a second parliamentary debate on UK military intervention in Syria. | |
Mr Hammond replied: "It's a bit rich for you, who last week trooped into the lobbies behind your leader, giving rise to the very situation we now find ourselves in, to demand I tell you precisely in which circumstances we might revisit this issue. | Mr Hammond replied: "It's a bit rich for you, who last week trooped into the lobbies behind your leader, giving rise to the very situation we now find ourselves in, to demand I tell you precisely in which circumstances we might revisit this issue. |
"I've said already we believe Parliament has spoken clearly on this issue and is unlikely to want to revisit it unless the circumstances change very significantly." | "I've said already we believe Parliament has spoken clearly on this issue and is unlikely to want to revisit it unless the circumstances change very significantly." |
The BBC's James Landale said Labour sources had cited examples of what would need to change - such as al-Qaeda getting possession of huge stocks of chemical weapons or a direct threat to UK national security emerging - for Parliament to reconsider the matter. | The BBC's James Landale said Labour sources had cited examples of what would need to change - such as al-Qaeda getting possession of huge stocks of chemical weapons or a direct threat to UK national security emerging - for Parliament to reconsider the matter. |
'Helping al-Qaeda' | |
But, questioned at a press conference in London, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: "We're not going to go back to Parliament with the same question on the same issue, in response to the same atrocity the week before last, because that decision was made by Parliament." | |
The prime minister's official spokesman also told reporters the government had "absolutely no plans to go back to Parliament". | The prime minister's official spokesman also told reporters the government had "absolutely no plans to go back to Parliament". |
He said the UK would continue to make the case for a robust response to President Assad at the G20 later this week. | He said the UK would continue to make the case for a robust response to President Assad at the G20 later this week. |
Meanwhile, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told the BBC that any military action against Syria would amount to "support for al-Qaeda and its affiliates", claiming armed groups backed by the US had used chemical weapons - not Syrian troops. | |
President Obama's surprise decision to ask Congress for approval means that a strike which was thought to be imminent will now not go ahead before 9 September - when Congress reconvenes - at the earliest. | |
The opposition Syrian National Coalition called Mr Obama's decision a "failure of leadership", saying it could "embolden" President Assad's forces. | |
More than 100,000 people are estimated to have died since civil conflict erupted in Syria in March 2011. | |
The violence began when Syrian security forces clamped down on anti-government protests. | The violence began when Syrian security forces clamped down on anti-government protests. |