Hansard

That is something that I will cover later, too.

At home, local authorities across Scotland, including those in Central Scotland, have been preparing to welcome Syrian refugees. Among the first of those refugees was a group of 12 families who are settling into their new lives in the Monklands area of North Lanarkshire.

It is unfortunate that, in response to the situation, a small minority in our society have displayed intolerant views towards those refugees and towards existing Muslim communities in Scotland. I am sure that everyone in the Parliament, regardless of their views on air strikes, will join me in condemning the rise in Islamophobic attacks and in the use of bigoted, sectarian and racist language. I am certain that the vast majority of people in Scotland will extend a warm welcome to the people who are arriving from such hellish conditions.

Humanitarian aid is our greatest weapon in the fight against Daesh and in our efforts to stop further radicalisation. Rather than bombs, we must put humanitarianism at the forefront of our efforts to support the Syrian people. Bombs will create more refugees and more civilian casualties and will ultimately result in more recruits becoming radicalised at home and in the territories that Daesh controls.

I must highlight the incredible demonstrations that have been taking place across Scotland. In Glasgow and Edinburgh, outside the Parliament and across Scotland and the UK, people have been saying “Don’t bomb Syria.” From conversations that I have had, from emails that I have received and from the demonstrations that we have seen, it is clear to me that people across the country do not support the action. I was pleased that the overwhelming majority of Scottish members of the UK Parliament voted against the UK Government’s motion. I am also pleased that Green, independent, Scottish National Party and Labour members across the chamber supported my motion and allowed this debate to take place.

The decision to embark on military action should always be a last resort, but that is not what has happened here. We have failed to learn the glaring lessons from previous military action in the region. For the past two years, the UK Government has been determined to take us into action in Syria. First it wanted to bomb Assad; now it targets Daesh. In the rush to war, there is no proper strategy to end the game. I fear that the action will only strengthen the grip of terrorists on the region and increase the suffering of ordinary Syrians, and I utterly condemn it.

I look forward to the minister’s response and will listen carefully to what action the Scottish Government will take to militate against the on-going crisis in Syria. During the Iraq war, those who campaigned against the war adopted the slogan “Not in our name”. I put it on the record that the bombings in Syria by the UK Government are not in my name and, I hope, not in yours.