By Roz Scott
Hove MP Peter Kyle has said that after the debate today (Wednesday 2 December) he would rebel and vote with the Conservative government in favour of military action in Syria.
Members of Parliament will vote at about 10pm this evening on whether to send aircraft to bomb Syria as well as Iraq to try to prevent the further spread of Daesh or Islamic State terrorism.
Mr Kyle said: “I have been swayed by the United Nations resolution 2249 which not only sanctions military action, it says use all means possible to tackle Daesh which is what we are now calling ISIL or ISIS.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will vote against military air strikes. Mr Corbyn has given the his party’s MPs a free vote because of the divisions within his own ranks and the Conservatives.
Mr Kyle said: “I feel solidarity with France and there is a partnership element which I want to respect.”
The House of Commons did not vote on whether to send ground troops into Syria at this point.
“I cannot see the circumstances in which further military action cannot lead to a military settlement. I believe there is a strategy and military action is part of that strategy which is a six-month plan,” Mr Kyle said.
He made his decision after taking advice from the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, the Defence Select Committee and MPs from all sides including those with military backgrounds.
When asked about diplomacy and the Vienna process, Mr Kyle said: “Russia has accepted the need for transition. The UN is proactively engaged in the process and it is now different. I believe that we should extend the military action from Iraq to Syria.
“I am not talking about starting a war. The war has been raging for a long time now. The question is how we end the war.
“I cannot see a diplomatic solution emerging from what we now have. That is not to say that there are not issues and uncertainties because there are.”
He said: “I will certainly be proactive in the days and weeks that follow this.”
Mr Kyle did not march with the Stop the War coalition yesterday.
In response to the Stop the War protest outside Mr Kyle’s constituency office, he said: “I have been open-spirited and open to listening and learning from anybody who wants a full exchange of views and opinions.”
