West Midlands MPs back Trump on Syria strikes

West Bromwich East MP Tom Watson said the action by US President Donald Trump was a 'direct and proportionate response' to Tuesday's chemical weapons attack by the President Bashar al-Assad regime, which killed at least 70 people.

And Warley MP John Spellar also backed the military intervention, saying the retaliation was 'entirely necessary'.

Their views put them at odds with Mr Corbyn, who claimed the US action 'risks escalating the war in Syria still further'.

Labour deputy leader Mr Watson said: "The US strikes appear to be a direct and proportionate response to a clear violation of international law by the Syrian regime.

"It's clear from the nerve gas attack in Khan Sheikhoun earlier this week that President (Bashar) Assad had retained a chemical weapons capability, contrary to what was agreed in 2013.

"Indiscriminate chemical weapons attacks on civilians can never be tolerated and must have consequences.

"It's vital that the United States is now clear about its intentions and that the whole international community works towards a political settlement in Syria."

Mr Spellar said: "I support the US intervention as an entirely necessary and proportionate response to the Assad regime breaking international law on the use of chemical weapons."

Syrian officials said at least seven people were killed and nine were wounded after the US fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles on the Syrian government's Shayrat airbase from where it is believed last week's chemical attacks were launched.

Mr Corbyn, who has repeatedly spoken out against Western military intervention in the Middle East, declined to support the attacks.

He said: "The US missile attack on a Syrian government air base risks escalating the war in Syria still further.

"Tuesday's horrific chemical attack was a war crime which requires urgent independent UN investigation and those responsible must be held to account.

"But unilateral military action without legal authorisation or independent verification risks intensifying a multi-sided conflict that has already killed hundreds of thousands of people."

He called for the Geneva peace talks to 'urgently reconvene' in a bid to negotiate a settlement of the conflict.

The Russian military has vowed to help Syria strengthen its air defences in the wake of the strike.

Labour's Ian Austin said 'the world can't stand by' while Assad murders civilians.

Mr Austin, said: "The world can't stand by while civilians – children amongst them – are murdered with nerve gas in direct and clear contravention of international law.

"Assad has murdered his own people with chemical weapons before and left unchecked who can doubt he would so again? Let's hope he'll now think twice but the priority must now be humanitarian help for civilians.

"These are the chemical weapons he was supposed to have given up as part of the agreement overseen by Russia in 2013 when the West failed to uphold international law and act when he gassed his own people before.

"It's clear he retained a chemical weapons capability, contrary to what was agreed in 2013."

Walsall North's Labour MP Mr Winnick said: "Given the atrocity that the criminal Assad regime launched last week one can hardly condemn the US response.

"Assad is a notorious mass murderer and in many ways his regime is just as murderous and barbaric as ISIS. He and his henchmen should take this as a warning that far heavier retaliation will come if he continues to commit such atrocities."

Labour's Walsall South MP Valerie Vaz said she would have preferred to see the United Nations pass a resolution before any action was taken.

"In that way the whole international community could come together to condemn the atrocities committed by the Assad regime," she said.

"I believe with the delicate nature of the situation, international backing for the airstrikes would have come very quickly. It is always difficult when one country acts alone."

Pat McFadden said the West could not afford to repeat the mistakes of the past, while Rob Marris said he hoped the show of force would dissuade the Syrian President from further 'horrors'.

Rob Marris, the Labour MP for Wolverhampton South West, said: "I can understand why the US launched this attack. Although it is a bit troubling that they did this unilaterally and without the support of the United Nations, it came after the evil Assad regime had launched a terrible chemical weapons attack in Syria.

"I hope the action by the US dissuades Assad from repeating such horrors. It is important now we look to restart peace talks as soon as possible."

The action was described as 'an appropriate response' by Downing Street, while Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon confirmed the UK was given advance notice of the airstrikes.

Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, accused Mr Corbyn of always taking 'the side of murderers and tyrannical dictators' and called on the Labour leader to stand up for innocent people who had been persecuted by the Assad regime.

Mr Williamson said: "I think anyone who undertakes military action does so knowing it is a considerably serious decision and one that is never taken lightly.

"Seeing the images of so many innocent people massacred by chemical weapons – a message has to be sent to murderers like Assad. It was the right message to send to this evil regime in Syria."

He added: "Jeremy Corbyn concerns me greatly. He seems to be an apologist for dictators whether they are Syrian or Iranian.

"He always seems to take the side of murderers and tyrannical dictators.

"It is about time the Labour leader stood up for innocent people butchered by an evil dictator. It says a lot about where the Labour party is today under Mr Corbyn's leadership."

Meanwhile Sir Bill Cash, the Conservative MP for Stone, said: "This military action was a clear case of necessity given the grave concerns about chemical weapons and the attack launched last week.

"I think the fact that the US attacked an airfield minimises civilian casualties. In terms of retaliation for the horrific chemical weapons attack this was completely justified."

Wendy Morton, the Conservative MP for Aldridge-Brownhills has also backed the military intervention, which she said should send a 'clear message' that chemical attacks will not be tolerated.

Mrs Morton said: "The attacks last week were barbaric and the action taken by the US was completely justified and appropriate.

"I hope it sends a clear message that chemical attacks will not be tolerated and serve as a strong deterrent.

"It is now imperative that the international community works together to come to a peaceful solution to the crisis in Syria."

Conservative Mike Wood described the air strikes as 'a step in the right direction'.

Mr Wood, who represents Dudley South, said: "We have a real duty to do everything we can to protect civilians from these monstrous chemical attacks that Assad is launching.

"I wholeheartedly believe that the US airstrikes are a step in the right direction. The more we can reduce Assad's ability to to use weapons of mass destruction against his own people, the better. We cannot turn away and pretend there are not serious problems in Syria."

Margot James, Conservative MP for Stourbridge, said she was 'filled with regret' over Parliament's previous inaction over the use of chemical weapons.

"The air strikes by the US are justified in response to Assad's further use of chemical weapons, and I thoroughly support them," she said.