Speaking about the civil war in Syria which has claimed 200,000 lives and forced half the population to flee their homes, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn MP will say on Monday morning in his speech to the Labour Party Conference in Brighton:

“There’s been a lot of talk about airstrikes but to bring peace, stability and security to Syria we need a much broader, more comprehensive plan than just trying to deal with ISIL/Daesh.

“This will require political, diplomatic and humanitarian will too.

“This week the United Nations General Assembly is meeting in New York for the world leaders’ debate.

“Presidents Obama, Putin, Xi Jinping and Rouhani will be among those speaking, but it seems that the UK’s contribution will be made by the Foreign Secretary and not by David Cameron.

“I am telling the Prime Minister today that that’s just not good enough.

“Given the scale of the crisis in Syria the Prime Minister should be staying on and straining every sinew to secure a comprehensive UN Security Council Resolution under Chapter VII of the UN Charter calling for:

·                 effective action to end the threat from ISIL/ Daesh;

·                 the creation of Safe Zones in Syria to shelter those who have had to flee their homes;

·                 the referral of suspected war crimes to the International Criminal Court;

·                 increased humanitarian aid to those who have fled to neighbouring states;

·                 an international agreement for countries to welcome their share of Syrian refugees; and

·                 a major international effort bringing together Russia, Iran, Gulf and neighbouring states, the United States of America and Europe to agree a post-civil war plan for Syria.”

In advance of Mr Benn’s speech, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the Labour Party, said:

“The situation in Syria is desperate with half the population displaced from their homes and 200,000 dead.  Hilary and I are at one in agreeing that what matters now is a broad and comprehensive plan as the foundation for a political solution to the conflict and a new United Nations Security Council resolution.

“That’s why it is so disappointing that David Cameron isn’t showing leadership and unlike other world leaders won’t be speaking at the UN this week.”