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A Labour MP quoted murdered colleague Jo Cox in an emotional plea for a 'new road map' for peace in Syria.

Alison McGovern warned the Prime Minister and other ministers they should not frame UK foreign policy in the 'rear view mirror' in the wake of missile strikes on Syria over the weekend.

In an emotional speech Ms McGovern quoted her late friend, who was murdered after a constituency meeting in 2016, in persuading the Commons to back her debate.

The Wirral South MP said: "In the words of Jo Cox, whose coat of arms is on the wall of this chamber right behind me, she said despite all of the dangers and difficult judgments that lie ahead, burying our head in the sand is not an option.

"We must face up to this crisis and do all that we can to resolve it, and her words still stand."

After securing the debate Ms McGovern urged MPs to consider a "comprehensive strategy" in Syria to protect civilian life.

She said: "We need to consider beginning a new road map here in the UK for Syria. We need to start from a simple question: what can be done to save human life? Not our simple short-term interests but the humanitarian principle.

"We must always know and understand our own history, but you cannot drive looking only in the rear view mirror, you have to face what is front of you and try to apply the humanitarian principle in the most careful way that you can.

"Of course with the benefit of past experience, rather than in an attempt to address issues past."

Ms McGovern acknowledged that some would be "sceptical" of the merits of such a debate, but asked MPs to "let this be the different time, let this be the moment where we decide to take a long-term view" on securing peace.

Ms McGovern went on to cite the example of Northern Ireland as a model for peace building.

She said: "Why don't we learn the lessons of Northern Ireland and see that peace needs not just the warring parties but also all of those with a stake in Syrian society?

"Why can't we reach out across Syrian civil society and have a British-led effort to consult those who have been impacted by the war and who hold no power, and who might in the future?"

Conservative former cabinet minister Ken Clarke later said he believed there should be a two-day debate on a Government motion.

He said of the military strikes: "I'm in a position of being a strong supporter of the action that has been taken but having my views that we should have followed a precedent set when we liberated the Falkland Islands, when the House was recalled on a Saturday to give approval for that.

"Margaret Thatcher did not invoke the royal prerogative on that occasion."

Mr Clarke said air strikes should have been carried out against the Syrian regime in 2013, saying the lack of a response was among the issues that "slightly contributed to the temptation which has been given into by Assad ever since to keep trying, seeing how far he can go" in using chemical weapons.

The SNP forced a vote on Ms McGovern's motion, which stated that the Commons had considered the situation in Syria and the UK Government approach. The motion was approved by 314 votes to 36, majority 278.