Corbyn’s War Act ‘would risk lives’

JEREMY Corbyn would put British citizens and troops at “severe risk” with a War Powers Act blocking military action without Parliament’s backing, a senior Labour MP said in a leaked email.

John Woodcock, chairman of Labour’s foreign affairs committee, said party leader Mr Corbyn’s demand was an “irrelevant distraction at a time when our focus must be on ending the human suffering in Syria”.

Speaking to the Mirror yesterday, the MP said: “There is a very significant danger that strongly curtailing powers of the executive to declare military action could pose a severe risk to British citizens and service personnel.

“Many Labour MPs have been pushing the Government for years to take firmer action against chemical weapons being used against civilians in Syria. So it’s right we should support these strikes.”

A Labour spokesperson said: “The party believes the Prime Minister should be accountable to Parliament, not to any other government, in the most serious matters of peace and security.”