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Diane Abbott says she would only support military action in World War Two

David Harding
·Contributor
Labor’s Diane Abbott (Rex)
Labor’s Diane Abbott (Rex)

Labour’s Diane Abbott has been ridiculed after saying that World War Two is the only conflict she would support.

In an interview on the Radio 4 Today programme she was pressed about whether Labour would support military in the Middle East as Britain potentially prepares to join the US in launching bomber raids on Bashar Al-Assad for recent chemical weapon attacks.

Asked if Labour would support military action in Syria, Abbott said the party backed a political solution.

She was then asked by host Nick Robinson: ‘But you don’t believe in military action in any circumstances at all? You believe it’s wrong.’

She responded ‘no of course’.

The Syrian army targeted Douma in bombing raids earlier this month (Rex)
The Syrian army targeted Douma in bombing raids earlier this month (Rex)

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Robinson then said: ‘What are the circumstances if you say “no” in which you would back military action?’

The shadow home secretary replied: ‘There was the Second World War…’

Mr Robinson interrupted: ‘I mean in this scenario in Syria – are there any circumstances in which you would back the use of military force?’

The shadow home secretary concluded: ‘Let me answer it in my own way. There is no evidence to show that further bombing in Syria will make the region more stable.’

She added that bombing was not the answer.

The Labour MP also claimed that it still was not clear who was responsible for the latest chemical attack during the Syrian conflict, this time in the Damascus suburb of Douma.

Children being evacuated from Douma earlier this month (Rex)
Children being evacuated from Douma earlier this month (Rex)

‘Let’s see what the inspectors come up with,’ she said.

‘The US Defence Secretary’s saying we don’t have all the evidence. At the moment, even in the US there’s the understanding that we don’t have all the evidence.’

The French president Emmanuel Macron has said there is ‘proof’ the Syrian government was behind the latest attack, which killed more than 65 people.

Russia has rejected a UN Security Council resolution to set up an independent investigation into the incident.

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