DERBYSHIRE MPs have given their reaction to the defeat of the Government during Thursday night's vote on military intervention in Syria.
UK involvement in military action against Syria was ruled out as David Cameron's authority and international standing were dealt a severe blow by defeat on the issue in the Commons.
Thirty Tory rebels defied a three-line Government whip, as well as nine Liberal Democrats who joined with Labour MPs to inflict a humiliating defeat on the Prime Minister.
A motion backing the use of force "if necessary" in response to last week's deadly chemical weapons attack was rejected by 272 votes to 285, a majority of 13.
Erewash MP Jessica Lee voted for the action to be taken, along with South Derbyshire MP Heather Wheeler, Derbyshire Dales MP Patrick McLoughlin and Andrew Brigden, MP for North West Leicestershire.
Voting against the action was Amber Valley MP Nigel Mills, Derby South MP Margaret Beckett, Derby North MP Chris Williamson, Bolsover MP Dennis Skinner, Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins, Andrew Bingham, the MP for High Peak and Natascha Engel, the MP for North East Derbyshire.
Mrs Wheeler, Conservative MP for South Derbyshire, previously said she did not see how military intervention would make things better but voted with the Government line.
She said: "Two things changed my mind. The amended motion stated that there would be a second vote next week and that the UN would be involved in any action which meant I felt I could vote for it. However if the vote had gone ahead next week I would have voted against which the government knew.
"It was because of that amendment that I was surprised by the outcome of the vote. I don't know why people could not have taken the motion at face value and then voted next week.
"Some would say that it was Parliament at its best, the Chamber spoke and David Cameron has listened. But it was not a pleasant experience in the House last night and emotions were running high."
Nigel Mills, the Conservative MP for Amber Valley, voted against the Government motion despite a three-line whip.
He said: "I said all along that I didn't think it was a good idea. I couldn't see it would help the Syrian people and possibly make the situation a whole lot worse.
"I didn't want to have to vote against the Government but I don't think you can vote for war when you don't think it the correct thing to do."
Labour MP Chris Williamson voted against the motion.
The Derby North MP said: "I was relieved and surprised about the result of the vote. I knew there were a number of rebel Tory MPs and I thought it was possible that the Government might lose.
"There was no way to know that the intervention would have made things better and could have made things worse in the region.
"I think the vote has strengthened the UK's position and we should be looking at a diplomatic settlement rather than reaching for an armed response. I believe what Winston Churchill said that "Jaw, jaw is better than war, war."
Mr Cameron had already been forced to water down his stance - accepting Labour demands that direct UK involvement required a second vote following an investigation by United Nations weapons inspectors.
But the concession fell short of winning over enough coalition MPs, conscious that public opinion is heavily against any intervention and wary of the decade-long controversy over the Iraq war.
After the shock result and to shouts of "resign" from the Labour benches, Mr Cameron told MPs: "I strongly believe in the need for a tough response to the use of chemical weapons.
"But I also believe in respecting the will of this House of Commons.
"It is clear to me that the British Parliament, reflecting the views of the British people, does not want to see British military action. I get that and the Government will act accordingly."
Labour leader Ed Miliband accused Mr Cameron of "cavalier and reckless leadership".
He said: "It was cavalier and reckless leadership that was taking Britain potentially into war without going through the United Nations, without putting the evidence properly before the British Parliament. I think he should learn the lesson from this episode, which is what Britain needs is calm and measured leadership, not the kind of leadership he has shown over this issue."
Mr Cameron had conceded to MPs there could be no "100% certainty" about who committed the attack as he appealed for support after recalling Parliament from its summer break to discuss the crisis. But the evidence convinced him "beyond doubt" the regime was responsible, he said, warning the biggest danger to Syria was for the world to "stand back and do nothing", encouraging more attacks.
A Labour amendment calling for action to await more "compelling" evidence was also defeated.
Mr Miliband's decision to oppose the motion despite the concession caused deep anger in Government ranks - Defence Secretary Philip Hammond accused him of giving "succour" to Syria's President Bashar Assad.
Asked after the vote if this applied to Tory rebels, he said the "Assad regime is going to be a little bit less uncomfortable as a result of this decision".
Confirming that the UK would not now take part directly in any military response in Syria, he conceded that it would "place some strain" on the so-called "special relationship" between Britain and the US. The Prime Minister was "disappointed" and still believed action was needed but was clear that the mood of Parliament "was that Britain should not be involved in military action and Britain will not be involved in military action".
