Labour Cabinet split as Wes Streeting publicly attacks Ed Miliband for opposing air strikes on Syria in 2013 after Assad used chemical weapons
Ed Miliband today insisted he was right to oppose air strikes on Syria in 2013 – despite a Cabinet colleague swiping that it kept the dictator in power.
As Labour leader, Mr Miliband ordered his MPs to vote against David Cameron’s push to join reprisals against Bashar Assad for using chemical weapons against his own people.
The Tory PM was defeated in the Commons – seen as a big factor in Barack Obama stopping short of action after the Syrian regime crossed his ‘red line’.
Russia then weighed in behind Assad, who was only finally ousted by Islamist rebels at the weekend.
Appearing on the BBC’s Question Time last night, Wes Streeting – who was not in Parliament then – seemed to agree with other panellists pointing the finger at Mr Miliband.
Defiant Ed Miliband today insisted he was right to oppose air strikes on Syria in 2013 – despite a Cabinet colleague swiping that it kept the dictator in power
Assad was only finally ousted by Islamist rebels at the weekend (pictured, an image of the dictator riddled with bullet holes)
Appearing on the BBC’s Question Time last night, Wes Streeting – who was not in Parliament then – seemed to agree with other panellists pointing the finger at Mr Miliband
‘With hindsight, I think we can say, looking back on the events of 2013, that the hesitation of this country and the United States created a vacuum that Russia moved into and kept Assad in power for much longer,’ the Health Secretary said.
‘What I cannot say with certainty – and what we can’t say for certainty even now that the rat has fled to Moscow to his backers – we cannot say that the back of Assad is going to lead to a better Syria yet…
‘We don’t know. It is too soon to judge.’
But asked during a round of interviews this morning if he regretted taking the position, Mr Miliband told Sky News: ‘No, I don’t … I welcome the fall of president Assad. Back in 2013 we were confronted with whether we should have a one-off, potential one-off bombing of Syria.
‘But there was no plan for what this British involvement would mean, where it would lead, and what the consequences would be.
‘And I believe that in the light of the Iraq war, we could never send British troops back into combat unless we were absolutely clear about what a plan was, including what an exit strategy was.
‘Now to those people who say that president Assad would have fallen if we bombed in 2013 that’s obviously wrong, because president Trump bombed president Assad in 2017 and 2018, so he didn’t fall.
‘So I welcome the fall of a brutal dictator, but I think the view that some people seem to be expressing about history is just wrong.’
Celebrations before Friday prayers at a mosque in Damascus today
As Labour leader Mr Miliband ordered his MPs to vote against David Cameron’s push to join reprisals against Bashar Assad for using chemical weapons against his own people
Conclusion
The controversy surrounding Ed Miliband’s decision to oppose air strikes on Syria in 2013 has sparked a heated debate within the Labour party. While some have argued that Miliband was right to stand by his principles, others have criticized him for allowing the dictator to remain in power for longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What was the context behind Ed Miliband’s decision to oppose air strikes on Syria in 2013?
A: Miliband, as Labour leader, was faced with the decision of whether to support air strikes on Syria in response to the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime. He ultimately decided to oppose the strikes, citing concerns about the lack of a clear plan for what the British involvement would mean, where it would lead, and what the consequences would be.
Q: What was the outcome of the vote?
A: The Tory PM, David Cameron, was defeated in the Commons, with the majority of Labour MPs voting against the strikes.
Q: What has been the reaction to Miliband’s decision?
A: The decision has sparked a heated debate within the Labour party, with some arguing that Miliband was right to stand by his principles, while others have criticized him for allowing the dictator to remain in power for longer.
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