Tory MP SILENCES BBC host with dazzling point about IGNORING 'clueless' parliament
THERESA MAY is privy to security information that can “never go into the public domain” and it would be “intellectually bankrupt” to involve clueless MPs in Syrian conflict decision making, a Tory MP announced.
Tory MP shuts down Newsnight host in security council debate
Johnny Mercer, the former army officer, speaking on BBC Newsnight said it would be pointless to involve MPs in because they would only have “half the information” if Mrs May was forced to take possible military strike action in Syria to a parliamentary vote.
He said: “I don’t think it is a question of convenience, this argument that you have to go through Parliament to conduct self-defence or military action is just intellectually bankrupt.
“If you look at the decisions and how they are made, the intelligence that goes into these decision making processes, they will never come into the public domain and they never should.”
Kirsty Wark then interrupted the MP for Plymouth Moor View but he silenced her and said: “Let me finish Kirsty”.
He continued: “The intelligence services will produce things that can never go into the public domain.
“So MPs are always going to be debating things with half of the information so they could never come up with the right answer based on that.
“The Prime Minister and the national security council, we elect them and they look at the information and they make a decision based on that. That is how democracy works.”
Catherine West, Labour MP, claimed she is waiting for the speaker to get in touch so she can be in Parliament over the weekend.
Radio 4 host grills Diane Abbott on Labour's position on Syria
MPs are always going to be debating things with half of the information
She said: “Chilcot could not have been clearer about the three conditions, number one that the intelligence must be robust, which of course in Iraq it was not.
“Number two that there must be a plan and there is no plan.
“Number three that you must try to bring the public with you and that surely means debating in Parliament.”
Mrs May met with senior ministers to form an emergency cabinet yesterday to discuss potential options.
The US and its allies, including the UK, are now considering whether to strike Syria over a suspected poison gas attack that medical relief organisations say killed dozens of people in the rebel-held town of Douma near Damascus on Saturday.
The Prime Minister has said the "continued use of chemical weapons cannot go unchallenged" and that Britain will work with its "closest allies" to see how those responsible for the latest attack in Syria can be held to account.
James Cleverly, who is Conservative MP for Braintree and an Ex-Army Reserve Officer, reiterated Mr Mercer’s point and told BBC News: “The decisions about the nature of the response have not been made public, if they have been made at all by our international partners.
“The response of the British government is a decision for the British Government.
“It is absolutely right that the intelligence that we have received from the British intelligence operatives and also the intelligence we share across our defence partners internationally is considered and considered carefully.”