Musicians, Politicians, Writers, Union Chiefs: Cameron Don’t Bomb Syria

November 29th, 2015

Awake Goy

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Above Photo: From Mirror.co.uk.

Note: Marches are planned across the UK, including at 10 Downing Street on November 28th.

Frankie Boyle, Brian Eno, John Pilger, Caroline Lucas MP and many more, write to Cameron to oppose bombing of Syria.

Frankie Boyle has joined musicians, writers, union chiefs and politicians telling David Cameron not to bomb Syria as thousands of protesters prepare to march on Westminster.

The outspoken comic is one of 23 people who signed a letter begging the Prime Minister to block air strikes tonight after he warned Britain is under ‘armed attack’.

Others include former Roxy Music star Brian Eno, Green MP Caroline Lucas, writer John Pilger and comedian Jeremy Hardy.

Their missive to Number 10 condemns the ‘rush to bomb’ and says wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya have caused ‘large scale casualties, devastating destruction and huge flows of refugees’.

And it declares: “Far from tackling terrorism, the last fourteen years of war have seen massively increased Jihadi terrorist organisation around the world.”

The letter was organised by the Stop the War Coalition, which is organising a mass march on Westminster against bombing ISIS in Syria.

Many thousands of people have already expressed their interest in the protest, which will take place outside Downing Street from 12pm to 2pm this Saturday.

Tonight Jeremy Corbyn, who is rumoured to be attending the march, wrote to Labour MPs saying he will not be able to back the PM’s seven-point plan for military action.

His move threw the party into turmoil, with several MPs poised to vote against their own leader when the shadow cabinet decides Labour’s official policy on Monday.

He wrote: “I do not believe that the PM today made a convincing case that extending UK bombing to Syria would meet that crucial test. Nor did it satisfactorily answer the questions raised by us and the Foreign Affairs Committee.

“In particular, the PM did not set out a coherent strategy, coordinated through the UN for the defeat of ISIS.”

Dear Prime Minister,

The current rush to bomb Syria following the terrible events in Paris risks a dangerous escalation which will inflame the war there and increase bitterness against the West. The US has been bombing Isis for a year and admits that Isis is as strong as ever and has continued recruiting.

The experience of the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya shows that Western military interventions lead to large scale casualties, devastating destruction and huge flows of refugees.

Far from tackling terrorism, the last fourteen years of war have seen massively increased Jihadi terrorist organisation around the world.

Rather than ignoring this recent history by joining the long list of countries that have bombed Syria in the last year, we urge the government to stop arming reactionary and aggressive regimes like Saudi Arabia and Qatar that sponsor terrorist groups and look for political solutions as the only viable way to end the conflict.

Yours,

Mark Rylance Actor
Brian Eno Musician
Hans von Sponeck Former UN Assistant Secretary-General
Frankie Boyle Comedian
Will Self Writer
Ken Loach Filmmaker
John Pilger Journalist
Owen Jones Journalist
Caryl Churchill Playwright
Francesca Martinez Comedian
Jeremy Hardy Comedian
Caroline Lucas MP Green Party
Tommy Sheppard MP SNP
Arthur Smith Comedian
Miriam Margolyes Actor
John Hilary Executive Director of War on Want
Michael Rosen Writer
Mark Serwotka PCS General Secretary
Tariq Ali Writer
David Gentleman Artist
Prof John Kinsella Poet
Prof Diane Reay University of Cambridge
Prof Richard Wilkinson University of Nottingham
Victoria Brittain Journalist
Manuel Cortes TSSA General Secretary
Christine Shawcroft Labour NEC
Prof Ray Bush University of Leeds
Prof Christopher Cramer SOAS
Prof George Irvin SOAS
Andrew Murray Chair of Stop the War Coalition
Lindsey German Convenor of Stop the War Coalition
Kate Hudson CND General Secretary
Logic Musician
Prof Susan Newman University of the West of England
Prof Gurminder Bhambra University of Warwick
Prof Ozlem Onaran University of Greenwich
Prof Prem Sikka University of Essex
Jean Urquhart MSP Independent
Elaine Smith MSP Labour