Quote of the day 3rd December 2015

.".. we are here faced by fascists.

Not just their calculated brutality, but their belief that they are superior to every single one of us in this chamber tonight, and all of the people that we represent.

They hold us in contempt. They hold our values in contempt. They hold our belief in tolerance and decency in contempt.

They hold our democracy, the means by which we will make our decision tonight, in contempt.

And what we know about fascists is that they need to be defeated.

And it is why, as we have heard tonight, socialists and trade unionists and others joined the International Brigade in the 1930s to fight against Franco.

It’s why this entire House stood up against Hitler and Mussolini. It is why our party has always stood up against the denial of human rights and for justice.

And my view, Mr Speaker, is that we must now confront this evil. It is now time for us to do our bit in Syria. And that is why I ask my colleagues to vote for the motion tonight."

(The conclude passage of the superb speech last night by the Shadow Foreign Secretary, Hilary Benn MP,  supporting the motion to extend the military action Britain is taking against DA'ESH/ISIL forces in Iraq into Syria. You can read the whole speech at the Spectator website at

http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/full-text-of-hilary-benns-extraordinary-speech-in-favour-of-syria-airstrikes/

or the whole debate at "Theyworkforyou" here.)

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