Sunday shows: Rayner ‘welcomes’ fall of Assad

Deputy PM ‘welcomes the news’ that the Assad regime has fallen

Rebel forces in Syria have captured Damascus, and Bashar al-Assad has reportedly fled the capital, ending a regime that begin in 2000. On Sky News this morning, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner told Trevor Phillips she ‘welcomes that news’, but stressed that a political resolution is needed that protects civilian lives and infrastructure. Rayner said a plan had been in place to make sure any UK citizens were evacuated from Syria ahead of the weekend’s developments.

Priti Patel: ‘The Turkish footprint is relevant here’

Trevor Phillips also asked Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel about Syria, and the wider implications for the region. Patel said there was no question that Turkey has ‘equities’ in the situation, and would be an influential voice, although she wouldn’t speculate on whether Turkey knew in advance about the rebel push. Patel said it was clear that Russia had been ‘consumed with Ukraine’ and had scaled back their presence in Syria.