Theresa May has been urged to give the Government’s backing to calls to strip Russia of the 2018 World Cup due its “war crimes” in Syria.
Labour’s John Woodcock (Barrow and Furness) said Russia must lose the right to host the prestigious international football tournament as it continues to assist Syrian president Bashar Assad in attacking civilians.
But the Prime Minister said decisions over which countries host sporting events are not in the Government’s remit, adding the UK is working with allies to try and stop the “appalling atrocities” in Aleppo.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson spoke to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday, stressing the need for Russia to use its influence to halt the assault on Aleppo and allow vital aid supplies into the besieged city.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Woodcock told Mrs May: “Aleppo’s hospitals are destroyed and Syrians who avoid the barrel bombs and chlorine gas are starving from the Russian-backed blockade.
“We must do more.
“So will you revisit the prospect of aid drops and will you look at backing the campaign to stop this daily perpetrator of war crimes, of stripping them of its right to hold the 2018 World Cup?”
The PM replied: “You are right to raise the issue of the appalling atrocities that are taking place in Aleppo and it’s right we, along with our international allies, should be doing all that we can to try to bring this to a stop.
“You will recognise the issue of who hosts sporting events is not in the Government’s remit.
“What is in the Government’s remit and what we are doing, as I say, is working with our international allies to put more pressure on Russia to stop the appalling atrocities, the appalling attacks that are taking place in Aleppo.
“What we want to see is an agreement for a political transition to a Syria without president Assad.”
