- .Foreign Secretary questioned why Stop the War Coalition made no protest
- .He said Britain was working daily with allies to halt Russian aggression
- .His comments came in an emergency debate called by MPs to demand more action on the humanitarian disaster caused by fierce fighting
- .Ex-MI6 chief Sir John Sawers criticised Johnson's call for protests today
The Stop the War Coalition today rejected Boris Johnson's demand they join protests against Russian involvement in Syria's civil war.
The campaign group, which is closely linked to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, was called out by the Foreign Secretary in a Commons debate on the war for failing to match its protests against Western military action with anger against Russia.
In response today, the campaign's chief blasted Mr Johnson for 'trivialising' the debate over the brutal war in Syria by demanding protests outside the Russian embassy in London - insisting a protest would whip up 'jingoism'.
Russian diplomats have also hit out at Mr Johnson over his remarks in yesterday's debate, claiming on social media they were 'ashamed' for him.
Ex-MI6 chief Sir John Sawers was also critical of Mr Johnson, warning protests outside the Russian embassy in London could provoke retaliatory action outside the British embassy in Moscow.
Boris Johnson, pictured at the Commons despatch box today, wants demonstrations to take place outside Russia's embassy over Moscow's involvement in the Syrian conflict
Mr Johnson used his speech to open discussion on a no-fly zone over Syria but warned those who back it must confront the dangers of having British and Russian aircraft facing each other
Mr Johnson used his Commons debut as Foreign Secretary to ramp up political pressure on Russia, warning Moscow it risked becoming a 'pariah' state over its aerial bombardment of rebels opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
He opened the door to discussion on a no-fly zone in Syria despite warning of the risk of direct conflict between British and Russian aircraft.
The Commons debate saw MPs compare the brutal bombing of Aleppo with Guernica, Nazi bombing of Spain during the civil war in the country in 1937.
MPs wrestled with what Britain should now do about the war, which has raged for more than five years. The Commons voted against a military action after Assad used chemical weapons in 2013, halting an international plan for humanitarian intervention.
Stop the War vice chairman Chris Nineham said the organisation would not stage any demonstrations at the Russian embassy.
'The reason for that is our focus is on what our Government is doing,' he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
'There's a very good reason for this, because we can make a difference to what Britain does, we can make a difference to what our allies do to a certain extent and we have done.
Mr Johnson, pictured today at No 10 for Cabinet, gave MPs a cautious response as he faced demands for a no-fly zone over Aleppo
'But, if we have a protest outside the Russian embassy it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference as to what (President Vladimir) Putin does because we are in Britain and were are in the West.
'And, not only that - a protest outside the Russian embassy would actually contribute to increasing the hysteria and the jingoism that is being whipped up at the moment against Russia.'
He added: 'What we are saying is there is a hysteria which is being organised by politicians and the media against Russia to see Russia as the only problem in Syria.'
Mr Nineham said the Foreign Secretary's calls for demonstrations were 'characteristically trivialising'.
After Mr Johnson's speech, Maria Zakharova, a Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, posted on Facebook: 'It appears that Boris Johnson has moved from words to actions and has used the weapon with which he threatened Russia — shame. We certainly are ashamed for him.'
Mr Johnson's claims were dismissed tonight by the official Twitter account of Russia's London embassy - insisting it was a 'very unusual call' from the Foreign Secretary
The embassy claimed Britain had produced no evidence of atrocities committed by Russian aircraft in Syria
In a Facebook post, made in Russian but translated by the social network, foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Russia was 'ashamed' for Mr Johnson
In a series of Twitter posts, the embassy's account said Mr Johnson's demand for protests was 'unusual' and accused the Foreign Secretary of failing to produce any evidence of alleged Russian atrocities.
In a further message to the Ministry of Defence: 'What have you achieved so far? Russia's record on Syria is thousands of freed villages, thousands of tons of humanitarian aid. What's Britain's?'
Sir John, who ran MI6 until November 2014, told the BBC: 'I think we all have to be a little bit careful and mindful of the security of our embassy in Moscow when we think about calling for demonstrations here in London.
'Yes there is a value in demonstrating clearly through governments and popularly the opposition to some of the tactics being used in Aleppo but I don’t think it’s actually going to change the course of events.”
He warned the West's failure to intervene in Syria in 2013, when the Assad regime used chemical weapons, had been proven by events to be a mistake.
Sir John said: 'We vacated the theatre and the Russians have moved in.'
He added: 'Yes it certainly was a mistake I mean chemical weapons were being used against the people, civilians, in Damascus by their own regime.
'We have upheld the taboo against use of chemical weapons and we failed to uphold it on this occasion.'
In his speech, Mr Johnson told the Commons: 'It is the UK week after week that is taking the lead together with our allies in America and in France, all the like-minded nations, in highlighting what is happening in Syria to a world where, I'm afraid, the wells of outrage are growing exhausted.'
He added: 'There is no commensurate horror, it seems to me, amongst some of those anti-war protest groups.
'I'd certainly like to see demonstrations outside the Russian embassy.
'Where is the Stop The War Coalition at the moment? Where are they?'
Aleppo is being reduced to rubble under bombardment by Syrian and Russian air forces with the damage, pictured last week, clear from the air
A Syria Civil Defence volunteer was pictured carrying an injured man away from a bombing in the besieged city last week
Speaking in an emergency debate called by MPs, Mr Johnson added: 'I believe it's up to us in the Government to show a lead.
'Week after week in the UN we are indeed doing what we can to point out what the Russians are up to and to build up an international understanding of what is going on in Syria and I believe we're having some effect.'
Mr Johnson said he had 'sympathy' for the idea of no-fly zones but resisted calls warning it could potentially involve Britain shooting down Russian planes.
Mr Johnson said the Government would consider calls from MPs to look at trying to introduce a no-fly zone or a no-bombing zone in Syria.
'I have every sympathy with those ideas and for the motives behind them and we must work through all these types of options together with our allies given that I think this House is not committed to putting boots on the ground,' he said.
However, Mr Johnson said the UK could not commit to such a scheme unless it was willing to take action against potential breaches by Russian or Syrian aircraft.
'We cannot do that unless we are prepared to shoot down planes or helicopters that violate that zone and we need to think very carefully about the consequences,' he said.
The Commons debate on the war in Syria heard comparisons between the Russian bombing in Aleppo to the devastating Nazi bombing of Guernica in Spain in 1936, pictured
Asked about calls from some MPs for a no-fly zone over Syria, a Downing Street spokesman told a regular Westminster media briefing: 'The notion that we would somehow be engaged in enforcing a no-fly zone with Russian aircraft in the same airspace is clearly a potentially very difficult and challenging situation.
'It is one which would need to be very carefully looked at and the risks attached to it very carefully analysed before we would head down that path.
'The most important thing is trying to establish some kind of aid route to Aleppo and other areas that is secure and safe and can get provisions through to people who have been without the basic essentials of life for a very long time.'
Former International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell had earlier led calls for a no-fly zone to be imposed over Aleppo.
He told the Commons the idea is feasible, adding it is a case of whether the international community has the political will to 'face down' the Russian and Syrian helicopters.
Conservative Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge and Malling), who served in the British Army, said: 'Militarily there is no reason we could not enforce a no-fly zone that is affecting so many people.
'The helicopters that are dropping barrel bombs could easily be brought down by rockets based in Turkey, in Lebanon or indeed from our own Type 45s in the Mediterranean.'
The Foreign Secretary's call for protests came after Labour's Ann Clwyd urged those who care about the plight of Syrian civilians to gather outside Russian embassies across the globe until the country stops its bombing campaign.
The Cynon Valley MP who served as special envoy on human rights in Iraq from 2003 until 2010, said worldwide protests would make it 'crystal clear' to Russia and the regime of president Bashar Assad that 'we think their actions are deplorable'.
Mr Johnson, pictured addressing the House today, faced calls from MPs for the Government to do more to tackle the war in Syria
Ms Clwyd said: 'We need to speak up for and on behalf of our common humanity.
'So I would therefore call once again on everyone who cares about the plight of Syrian civilians to picket the Russian embassy in London and in capitals around the world from today.
'Two million, three million, four million people. It can be done. It has been done in the past.
'That should carry on until the bombing campaign stops and all the relevant players are forced to get around the table to end this horrible war.'
MPs gathered in the Commons today for an emergency debate on the situation in Syria after the latest attempt at a ceasefire collapsed
Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry said: 'The situation of these innocent civilians in Aleppo is truly a hell on earth. They are trapped, they are impoverished, and they are desperately in need of food, clean water and medical care.
'That would be bad in any circumstances, but they also are living in daily fear of death coming from the skies from air strikes in the east of Aleppo and mortar bombs in the west.
'It is a scale of suffering beyond our comprehension.'
She said both the forces of Russia and Bashar Assad and the jihadis stand 'equally condemned in the eyes of public opinion and equally guilty of crimes against humanity'.
But despite this she said it is crucial for Britain to work with Russia to re-establish the ceasefire brokered by John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.
Tory MP Alistair Burt, who was minister responsible for the Middle East and North Africa in 2011, said Parliament's fear of intervening in 2013 has emboldened fighters in Syria.
'The fundamental failure in Syria in the last couple of years was to give an impression that no one would stand up against the attacks on people in Syria because we have lost the will - not to advance an ideological agenda but we have actually lost the will to defend and protect people,' he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, pictured with Turkish President Recep Erodgan in Istanbul this week, came under heavy fire from MPs in London wrestling with the Syrian war
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