Quaker MP speaks out about Syria

Catherine West has spoken out about the government decision to launch missile strikes on Syria

The Quaker MP Catherine West spoke out on the BBC programme Daily Politics last week (16 April) about the recent government decision to launch missile strikes on Syria.

She told presenter Jo Coburn that she backed the Labour Party’s call for a ‘War Powers Act’, which she says was recommended by the Chilcot report after the Iraq war. She said it would ‘get away from the dodgy dossier concept’.

She said: ‘Another very strong recommendation from the Chilcot report was that there was “a plan”, and I don’t feel there is a plan.’

Catherine West appeared with Johnny Mercer, a Conservative MP who supported Theresa May’s decision to launch military strikes on Syrian targets. He said a ‘line was crossed’ in terms of the use of chemical weapons, and under the 1993 legally binding treaty to outlaw the use of chemical weapons, there was a ‘duty’ to do something when this was flouted.

Catherne West also spoke out about violent crime and Windrush justice. The MP for Hornsey and Wood Green joined 140 signatories across six parties in signing a petition that called on the government to take immediate action to deal with the Windrush immigration crisis.

The petition, written by David Lammy, the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on race and community and MP for Tottenham, was signed by Jeremy Corbyn, the shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, and Conservative MPs Sarah Wollaston, Bob Blackman and Peter Bottomley.

Speaking on Daily Politics, Catherine West said: ‘I have had people in tears in my advice surgery because their elderly relatives have been treated in an abominable way – in detention!’

She expressed the opinion that part of the problem is the low quality of decision-making in the Home Office and suggested that this was because caseworkers are poorly paid. She explained: ‘Fifty per cent of Home Office decisions are turned over after appeal.’

Theresa May apologised for the treatment of the Windrush citizens on 17 April when she met with the twelve Caribbean heads of government. She promised that no one would be deported.

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