I don't regret voting against Assad bombing - Miliband

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has said he does not regret voting to block UK military action against then Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2013.

Prime Minister at the time David Cameron had wanted to attack Syria, after reports Assad had used deadly chemical weapons on his own citizens in Damascus.

However, Miliband, who was then leading the Labour Party, directed his MPs to vote against the proposal, preventing the UK from taking part in any action.

Speaking on Friday, Miliband defended his decision saying there had been no "clear exit strategy" and he had not wanted to put British troops in "harm's way".

Appearing on Question Time Miliband's cabinet colleague Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who was not an MP at the time, said: "With hindsight I think we can say looking back on the events of 2013 the hesitation of this country and the US created a vacuum that Russia moved into and kept Assad in power for much longer.

"What we cannot say is that the back of Assad is going to lead to a better Syria."

Asked if he agreed with Streeting's argument, Miliband said: "No, I don't".

"I believe after what happened in Iraq, where hundreds of British troops died and thousands were injured, we could not commit British military forces without a clear plan.

"As to the question about whether it would have led to the end of Assad, the truth is in 2017 and 2018 Donald Trump bombed Assad and it did not lead to the end of Assad.

"I welcome the fall of a brutal dictator… but those people who say if only we had taken military action he would have somehow fallen - I just frankly don't believe it."