The SNP has called on the UK Government to rethink its military strategy in Syria and drop “bread, not bombs”.
International development spokesman Patrick Grady urged Theresa May’s administration to halt UK participation in air strikes without a full strategy in place.
He said the people of Aleppo were paying the price, adding: “We were told in December that UK air strikes would cut off the head of the snake, but the chaos has only increased.”
His comments came during an emergency Commons debate on the situation in Syria.
According to the International Rescue Committee, around half of its pre-war 22.8 million population has been displaced as a result of the conflict, which is in its sixth year.
Meanwhile, the United Nations estimates the conflict has caused the deaths of more than 250,000 people, and forced 7.6 million people out of their homes within the country.
Yesterday’s debate was led by former Cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell, who suggested that British aircraft could form part of an international coalition to enforce a no-fly zone in an effort to protect civilians.
He also compared Russia’s attacks on Aleppo to the Nazi regime’s bombing of Guernica during the Spanish civil war.
As MPs discussed the crisis, the Labour leadership came under increasing pressure to explicitly condemn Russian aggression after Jeremy Corbyn reportedly described the country as “apparently” having bombed targets in Syria at a party meeting this week.
Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry accepted that “of course the actions of the Russians can well be seen as war crimes”.
And Boris Johnson, her opposite number on the government benches, encouraged demonstrations outside Russia’s embassy over Moscow’s involvement.
He warned that the “wells of outrage are growing exhausted” as the city of Aleppo faces destruction.
In December, all SNP MPs voted against extending airstrikes from Iraq to Syria, but overall the Commons backed the move.
Mr Grady said: “This is an emergency debate in every sense of the word. The situation in Aleppo and across Syria has dramatically and horrifically worsened.
“The UK Government must re-think its military objectives and recommit to working across borders and interests to find a sustainable and lasting peace.
“I have already said that if we have the technology to drop bombs, surely we have the technology to drop bread and aid.”
