John Mann.

He couldn’t resist having a crack at his leader – saying he was setting out his position on air strikes before the shadow cabinet came to a decision as he was not willing to be whipped on it – but John Mann still said he would vote the same way: Against.

And he’s to be praised for it.

How many Labour MPs are preparing to vote with David Cameron, simply to snub a leader whose politics they dislike? If This Writer’s sources are to be believed, only a handful – and some of them may reconsider in the knowledge that Mr Mann has made a decision to vote alongside the Labour leader – because he believes it is right.

Here’s the conclusion to the reasoned explanation of his position:

I have no problem with the ethics or morality of the UK being involved in military action to remove ISIS. They are a terrorist force that will continue their attempts to murder and enslave everyone who refuses to bow to their ideology and continue to attack the West.

However the proposal from David Cameron will fail.

A few extra planes attacking defined targets in Syria are neither a solution, nor are they much assistance. This approach is more of a gesture. Syria needs more than gestures.

What is needed is a UN mandate for unified military action, led by Arab nations, with the Russians and others. We should play our part in winning such a mandate and in then delivering it.

There should be an immediate ceasefire as part of this mandate for all of the non-ISIS controlled area of Syria – which means for most of the country including all of that controlled by the Syrian government. Obviously a long term peace plan and settlement must be negotiated using the security of a UN ceasefire.

That mandate should include the creation of safe zones, including a long term security for the Kurds and Yazidis and should also initiate a plan for the resettlement of the millions of Syrian refugees.

There are many other elements needed to curtail Islamic terrorism worldwide, but Cameron’s proposal does nothing whatsoever on them and makes such initiatives more unlikely.

I will therefore be voting against the Government’s current proposals.

Source: Vote on the RAF taking part in air strikes against ISIS in Syria

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