Welsh political opinion

THE alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria has forced Welsh figures from across the political divide to confront the dilemma of how to respond.

Labour and Plaid Cymru figures have pushed for any proposed military action to be put to Parliament.

Former Foreign Minister and Labour Rhondda MP Chris Bryant said: “We need clear tactical and strategic objectives for any military action which should be put to parliament to debate and decide.”

The prospect of a parliamentary vote would trigger memories of David Cameron’s defeat in 2013 when MPs rejected military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack by 285 votes to 272. This was widely seen as a key influence on President Obama’s decision not to order a US-strike.

Former Foreign Minister and ex-Pontypridd Labour MP Kim Howells said it was “not at all clear” that Theresa May “can win a vote if she decides to put it to parliament”.

UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Parliament should “be given a say on any military action” and warned against “bombardment which leads to escalation and a hot war between the US and Russia over the skies of Syria”.

But Mr Howells said: “I’m afraid that the awful thing is that if there isn’t some sort of military intervention then it does normalise the use of chemical warfare.”

He was concerned by the attitude of senior figures in his party, saying they did not seem “particularly worried” about “new forms of warfare,” adding: “I don’t think that there’s any sense of an urgency in the Opposition towards this sort of stuff, so I can’t see Corbyn advising Labour to vote with the Government if indeed she puts the vote to Parliament.”

Mr Howells also doubted the extent of public appetite for an attack, saying: “I don’t think that the great British public is up for military intervention abroad any longer. The experiences in Iraq and