John Baron MP calls for clarity as to when Parliament will be consulted prior to military action

MP says humanitarian relief underfunding must stop

The Prime Minister, Rt Hon Theresa May MP, gave a Statement in the House of Commons this afternoon following the military strikes in Syria at the weekend by Britain, France and the United States.

In the Chamber, John asked,

“Such decisions are always difficult, and Prime Ministers should retain the leeway to use military force in extremis. But the Prime Minister should also understand that, given the series of errors in our previous interventions and in Syria, many in Parliament believe Government needs to be thoroughly scrutinised before plans are executed. Given the possibility of future interventions in Syria, under what circumstances does the Prime Minister consider it right to consult Parliament before committing our Armed Forces?”

The Prime Minister responded that a number of MPs have concerns about intervening militarily in the region. She added that there will be situations when Governments are unable to consult Parliament before committing to military action.

John said afterwards,

“Parliament does not have a monopoly of wisdom when it comes to foreign policy, but greater scrutiny by MPs tends to improve decisions and ensures full accountability. I hope the Prime Minister will reflect on this if she contemplates further action.”

“Meanwhile, the international community is giving long-overdue impetus to the peace process, but the most pressing problem remains the plight of the refugees in Syria and the camps outside. Given the underfunding of the humanitarian effort, the Government needs to do more to encourage the international community to follow our lead and meet its obligations.”