Corbyn asks for Syria UN-investigation instead of ‘instructions’ from Trump

British Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn has demanded that the UK government ask for an independent UN-led investigation into the recent suspected chemical attack in Syria rather than “wait for instructions” from US President Donald Trump.

“The government appears to be waiting for instructions from President Donald Trump on how to proceed. But the US administration is giving alarmingly contradictory signals,” Corbyn said in a statement on Friday.

“Britain should press for an independent UN-led investigation of last weekend’s horrific chemical weapons attack so that those responsible can be held to account.”

Corbyn added, “Ministers should take their proposals, such as they are, to parliament.

The Labour Leader has been asking for a private briefing on the UK government’s intelligence about Saturday's chemical attack in Douma, emphasizing that parliament must be consulted if military action were taken against Syria.

As cabinet ministers gathered for an emergency meeting in Downing Street on Thursday, he said, “Surely the lessons of Iraq, the lessons that came from the Chilcot report, are that there has to be a proper process of consultation. Cabinet on its own should not be making this decision.”

Last night the UK cabinet unanimously backed Theresa May’s warning that Syria’s alleged use of chemical weapons could not go unchallenged, leaving the way open for British participation in military action.

PressTV-UK ‘war cabinet’ agrees on ‘action' in Syria

British PM Theresa May has won backing from her "war cabinet" to take action in Syria to "deter the further use of chemical weapons."

“Obviously the situation is very serious, obviously there has to be, now, a demand for a political process to end the war in Syria. We cannot risk an escalation even further than it’s gone already,” Corbyn said.

The British prime minister is is not bound by law to seek parliamentary approval for offensive military action, but recent interventions in Libya and Iraq have been put to a vote. Many now believe lawmakers should always have a vote before the government takes military action.

Corbyn said different sides in the Syrian conflicts should get around a negotiating table and stated that he wanted to see the “whole picture” and questioned what would happen if a US missile hit a Russian plane.

“What happened last weekend was terrible. What we don’t want is bombardment which leads to escalation and leads to a hot war between Russia and America over the skies of Syria,” he said.

Corbyn further noted that he believed UK military intervention in Syria risks escalating an already devastating conflict.

Split among Labour over Syria?

While Corbyn has been defiant over a potential government military strike on Syria and his tone has been critical of May’s foreign policy in the Middle East region, Labour’s shadow cabinet international development secretary Kate Osamor, struck different rhetoric than that of her boss, indicating discord among Labour over Syria.  

She told the House magazine that “intervention must take place” if the UN concludes the Syrian government was behind the alleged chemical attack.

“If a leader is killing their own they need to be removed. We don’t keep them there. They need to go. He needs to be removed.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Osamor said Corbyn should allow his shadow ministers to comment on foreign policy matters instead of displaying his own positions. “It takes the government off the hook because the media then talk about Jeremy’s response.”

Damascus has rejected the accusation, saying militants the area have made up the "chemical fabrications" to impede the army advances.  

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