Four suspected uses of chemical weapons in Syria this year, says Christian MP

Alistair Burt said the increasing use risked going against “a century of a united response by the world against them”.

The Commons exchanges also saw Labour backbencher John Woodcock say shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry was “not fit to stand at that despatch box” after she warned many foreign parties were now acting like the Assad regime.

Responding to a question from Mr Woodcock, Foreign Office minister Mr Burt said: “He is right to express concern and anger about not only the use of chemical weapons but the increasing use.

“We think there’s been, perhaps, four occasions since the turn of this year.

“And if chemical weapons come back into the norm of use in war, it goes against a century of a united response by the world against them.”

He told MPs at Foreign Office questions the Government would continue to work at the United Nations “in order to ensure that the international convention on chemical weapons once again becomes properly effective”.

Earlier, Ms Thornberry condemned Turkey for its “disgraceful assault on Afrin”, later adding: “The truth is that the Turkish assault is part of a broader pattern where too many foreign parties engaged in the Syrian civil war are now acting just like the Assad regime itself without any regard for international law.”

Labour’s Mr Woodcock (Barrow and Furness) could be heard saying: “You can’t say that.”

Ms Thornberry…