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| Tory and Labour MPs warn defence secretary against mission creep in Syria | Tory and Labour MPs warn defence secretary against mission creep in Syria |
| (2 days later) | |
| Cross-party scepticism about the UK joining the US-led bombing campaign against Islamic State in Syria was laid bare on Monday as the defence secretary was repeatedly warned by MPs that Britain has no reliable allies in the country and bombing might only strengthen the country’s president, Bashar al-Assad. | Cross-party scepticism about the UK joining the US-led bombing campaign against Islamic State in Syria was laid bare on Monday as the defence secretary was repeatedly warned by MPs that Britain has no reliable allies in the country and bombing might only strengthen the country’s president, Bashar al-Assad. |
| Michael Fallon was told by influential backbench Conservatives that it did not seem there was a clear plan for Syria while Labour said public confidence had been undermined by the minister’s refusal to tell parliament that he had allowed UK pilots embedded with US forces to bomb Syria using US aircraft. | Michael Fallon was told by influential backbench Conservatives that it did not seem there was a clear plan for Syria while Labour said public confidence had been undermined by the minister’s refusal to tell parliament that he had allowed UK pilots embedded with US forces to bomb Syria using US aircraft. |
| Julian Lewis, chairman of the defence select committee, said Fallon still seemed to think that it was possible to bring down Isis without promoting the Assad regime or to bring down the Assad regime without promoting Isis. | Julian Lewis, chairman of the defence select committee, said Fallon still seemed to think that it was possible to bring down Isis without promoting the Assad regime or to bring down the Assad regime without promoting Isis. |
| “The reality is that you’ve got to face up to one or the other and until we know which you regard as the lesser of two evils, it is not true to say that we have a coherent strategy for Syria.” | “The reality is that you’ve got to face up to one or the other and until we know which you regard as the lesser of two evils, it is not true to say that we have a coherent strategy for Syria.” |
| Related: The case for rejecting air strikes on Syria | Letters | |
| Crispin Blunt, the Conservative chairman of the foreign affairs select committee, also warned that the British government still did not seem to have a strategy that bound in key regional players such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Turkey. | Crispin Blunt, the Conservative chairman of the foreign affairs select committee, also warned that the British government still did not seem to have a strategy that bound in key regional players such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Turkey. |
| Fallon told MPs that logic required the UK to join allied forces in bombing in Syria as well as in Iraq. | Fallon told MPs that logic required the UK to join allied forces in bombing in Syria as well as in Iraq. |
| He said the Isis “command and control is in northern Syria. It is from there its weapons and fighters flow into Iraq. It is from there that its global influence spreads and from where the direct threat to the UK comes. Isil [Isis] has killed many of our fellow citizens. It is actively plotting to kill more.” | He said the Isis “command and control is in northern Syria. It is from there its weapons and fighters flow into Iraq. It is from there that its global influence spreads and from where the direct threat to the UK comes. Isil [Isis] has killed many of our fellow citizens. It is actively plotting to kill more.” |
| In a very difficult hour on the floor of the Commons, Labour said MPs should have been informed by Fallon about the use of a handful of British pilots in foreign bombing missions. | In a very difficult hour on the floor of the Commons, Labour said MPs should have been informed by Fallon about the use of a handful of British pilots in foreign bombing missions. |
| The shadow defence secretary, Vernon Coaker, said: “It is crucial that in these important and sensitive matters the confidence and trust of this parliament is maintained as well as that of the British people. The government has acted in a way that puts that trust and confidence at risk.” | The shadow defence secretary, Vernon Coaker, said: “It is crucial that in these important and sensitive matters the confidence and trust of this parliament is maintained as well as that of the British people. The government has acted in a way that puts that trust and confidence at risk.” |
| Five pilots serving with British forces had been embedded with coalition forces, Fallon said. None of the pilots was currently involved in attacks with allied forces in the country but, when they had been, specific ministerial approval was given. About 75 other UK personnel have worked with coalition forces on attacks in Syria, Fallon added. | Five pilots serving with British forces had been embedded with coalition forces, Fallon said. None of the pilots was currently involved in attacks with allied forces in the country but, when they had been, specific ministerial approval was given. About 75 other UK personnel have worked with coalition forces on attacks in Syria, Fallon added. |
| The minister said he first made the decision to allow British pilots to take part in bombing runs in northern Syria last autumn, but only revealed UK involvement when forced to do so through a freedom of information request last week. He refused to apologise for failing to inform MPs and insisted the involvement of British pilots was necessary to defeat Isis. | The minister said he first made the decision to allow British pilots to take part in bombing runs in northern Syria last autumn, but only revealed UK involvement when forced to do so through a freedom of information request last week. He refused to apologise for failing to inform MPs and insisted the involvement of British pilots was necessary to defeat Isis. |
| Pressed on when he knew about the involvement of UK pilots in Syria, Fallon said he first knew in the autumn. But the Ministry of Defence as late as November denied any knowledge of UK fighters being embedded with US forces. | Pressed on when he knew about the involvement of UK pilots in Syria, Fallon said he first knew in the autumn. But the Ministry of Defence as late as November denied any knowledge of UK fighters being embedded with US forces. |
| Fallon also announced an increase in the number of British troops deployed to Iraq for training purposes – bringing the total to 275 by later this year. | Fallon also announced an increase in the number of British troops deployed to Iraq for training purposes – bringing the total to 275 by later this year. |
| Labour MPs said Fallon’s behaviour amounted to mission creep and war without a mandate. | Labour MPs said Fallon’s behaviour amounted to mission creep and war without a mandate. |
| Related: Bumpy flight for Mr Airfix as he encounters blue-on-blue flak | Related: Bumpy flight for Mr Airfix as he encounters blue-on-blue flak |
| Fallon was also warned by the senior Tory backbencher Alan Duncan that he needed to do more to inform parliament of his intentions, implicitly suggesting Fallon should not have tried to circumvent parliament. Andrew Mitchell, another former cabinet minister, also urged Fallon to keep MPs informed. | Fallon was also warned by the senior Tory backbencher Alan Duncan that he needed to do more to inform parliament of his intentions, implicitly suggesting Fallon should not have tried to circumvent parliament. Andrew Mitchell, another former cabinet minister, also urged Fallon to keep MPs informed. |
| David Cameron had pledged to return to the Commons in the autumn to seek parliamentary support for UK involvement in the coalition bombing campaign in northern Syria, and specifically Raqqa, seen as the capital of Isis. | David Cameron had pledged to return to the Commons in the autumn to seek parliamentary support for UK involvement in the coalition bombing campaign in northern Syria, and specifically Raqqa, seen as the capital of Isis. |
| However, Cameron is waiting to see if he can win Labour support for a bombing campaign in Syria after the new Labour leader has been elected. | However, Cameron is waiting to see if he can win Labour support for a bombing campaign in Syria after the new Labour leader has been elected. |
| The prime minister is still stung by his embarrassing rebuff in 2013 when he suffered an international diplomatic humiliation by failing to win the support of parliament for a bombing campaign designed to sanction Assad for using chemical weapons against his own people. | The prime minister is still stung by his embarrassing rebuff in 2013 when he suffered an international diplomatic humiliation by failing to win the support of parliament for a bombing campaign designed to sanction Assad for using chemical weapons against his own people. |