Latest Breaking News

T_i_B

(14,738 posts) Fri Apr 24, 2015, 07:04 AM Apr 2015

Ed Miliband attacks 'UK failure' on Libya

Source: BBC

Ed Miliband has accused David Cameron and other world leaders of failing to stand by Libya, contributing in part to the crisis in the Mediterranean.

The Labour leader, who backed UK military action in Libya in 2011, criticised "failure in post-conflict planning" and said the current refugee situation should have been anticipated.

Mr Miliband voted in favour of air strikes against former Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi in 2011, which saw the UK join an UN-authorised coalition to stop the slaughter of Libyan civilians in Benghazi.
The intervention led to the collapse of the Gaddafi regime but the country has descended into chaos since then, with a civil war between different tribal militias and no single functioning government across the whole of the country.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32441968

May be of interest here, although it should be noted that Britain is in the middle of a general election campaign, so this does have a bit of electioneering to it.

3 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Ed Miliband attacks 'UK failure' on Libya (Original Post) T_i_B Apr 2015 OP

a bit?!!!! Ironing Man Apr 2015 #1

To give them their due, Labour did criticise the withdrawal from Mare Nostrum muriel_volestrangler Apr 2015 #2

And they were actually doing well on that count... T_i_B Apr 2015 #3

Ironing Man

(164 posts)

1. a bit?!!!!

Reply to T_i_B (Original post)

Fri Apr 24, 2015, 08:25 AM

Apr 2015

for those not au fait with UK politics, Ed Miliband is the political and moral collossus who supported Camerons' Libya policy in parliament, in privy council, and in public at the time, and in the 5 years since has made not one single comment about UK disengagement from the worse and worse mess that Libya has been becoming.

which will tell you all you need to know about quite how much he cares about it - its also not unrelated to the political problem Labour still has over what is widely (including within Labour..) regarded as a botched immigration policy while they were in government and which is a very significant actor behind the rise of the unpleasantly right wing and virulantly anti-immigration UKIP party.

theres also more than a little cheek for people who were significant members of both Tony Blairs and Gordon Browns governments chastising others about wars having unforseen consequences that no one want to touch with a 50ft bargepole...

muriel_volestrangler

(101,321 posts)

2. To give them their due, Labour did criticise the withdrawal from Mare Nostrum

Reply to Ironing Man (Reply #1)

Fri Apr 24, 2015, 12:43 PM

Apr 2015

The Home Office has defended its decision to end British support for search-and-rescue operations for migrants in danger of drowning in the Mediterranean, after criticism that it marked an ethical nadir for Britain.

A statement said the decision agreed by the home secretary, Theresa May, with other European interior ministers this month had been taken because the rescue operations, which had so far saved the lives of more than 150,000 migrants, were acting as a “pull factor” for illegal migration.
...
The shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said: “Home Office ministers seem to be saying that European countries should deliberately turn our backs on those whose lives and safety are at risk in order to set an example for others. That’s never been the British way. We should be working with other countries to renew efforts to stop people attempting this dangerous journey in the first place, not calling on everyone to stand aside and let men, women and children drown.”

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/28/home-office-defends-uk-migrant-pull-factor

T_i_B

(14,738 posts)

3. And they were actually doing well on that count...

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Reply #2)

Sat Apr 25, 2015, 05:48 AM

Apr 2015

...until Miliband decided to make the wider argument about intervention in Libya in the middle of the general election campaign. It does look opportunistic. As though he's trying to be wise after the event.

Reply to this discussion