After the Paris attacks we must decide how to keep the British people safe

I think many of us feel that the terrorism in Paris could have happened in our own capital.  With the closeness of our two countries, one of my first actions was to check with family, friends, constituents and staff whether they had been affected by the horrendous attacks.  Whilst City Hall lit up with the tricolour, this paper has rightly reported so widely on Norwich’s response that we feel at one with France.

These have been horrendous terrorist attacks.  The death toll is 130, more than 350 people were wounded and two dozen are still fighting for their lives.  It’s mass murder, done in the name of a twisted and sadistic worldview that dislikes people enjoying music or a drink.  The worldview of ‘Islamic State’ (IS) cannot tolerate the West, women’s rights, gay rights or non-Muslims.  It looks back an entire millennium to re-establishing a caliphate in the Middle East, and to achieve its ends is killing and torturing its way through the people of many countries. 

It makes no secret of its threat to Britain and British citizens around the world and has killed dozens already, as hostages or holidaymakers on a Tunisian beach.  Our security services have already foiled seven terrorist plots in Britain this year alone.  The ‘Islamic State’ wants us dead.

After our sympathy and unity with our French neighbours in their hour of tragedy, we now need to think again about how to keep our own people safe.  As a Member of Parliament, I feel this responsibility deeply.  The first duty of government is to defend its citizens, and I see Parliament’s duty to support the best defence of Britain.  And we need to defend ourselves:  “no action” is not an option.  We are under attack and we cannot expect others to defend British citizens if we do not.

In the coming weeks in Parliament we will be debating every aspect of keeping Britain safe.  This will include policing, counter-terrorism, intelligence, cyber-expertise and the ideological battle.  We also have humanitarian and diplomatic commitments to maintain.

And there are huge arguments to work through now about extending the military action we are already taking in Iraq.  Obviously I hold in mind the Parliamentary votes of 2013 and 2014 about military action in the region.  One was in favour of using airstrikes to support the Iraqi Government against IS; the other went against using airstrikes to defend Syrian civilians from chemical weapons attacks by their own Government. 

I am prepared to consider voting for the use of British airpower once more but keen to hear the government’s full plan first which must comprehensively cover options for military, diplomatic and humanitarian action, and a vision for a more stable and peaceful Middle East.

The UN Security Council has unanimously endorsed “all necessary measures” to destroy IS.

I ask my constituents to tell me their views.  I want to hear from people of every age and walk of life, in every part of the patch, not just those who have a quick finger on the email button, and not just those normally involved in politics. 

I will once again weigh up all the evidence available to me as your MP and make the best decision I can on a proposal put to Parliament. 

Whatever lies ahead, we should stand firm in defence of the freedom and democracy that we share on both sides of the Channel.

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This month in Parliament, I’ve been working on the new Immigration Bill, which will introduce new sanctions on illegal immigration and tackle exploitation of low-skilled workers.  This follows my work in 2014 on the Modern Slavery Act.

In my speeches I’ve drawn a link between saving public money spent on the costs of illegal migration, and being better able to support genuine refugees, like the 20,000 Syrian refugees we will welcome who are fleeing terror themselves.

As the Home Secretary has emphasised in the Commons, both the UN and the Home Office screen and document those refugees.  People rightly expect this process to be robust.  We should welcome genuine refugees but stand firm against flouting of the rules, or cynical trafficking.  Following reports of how one Paris attacker entered Europe by boat along with refugees, we also have to be vigilant against the worst kind of deceit meant to do us harm.  People in Norwich are generous and welcoming but naturally want to be safe, and want British resources to be used wisely and compassionately.