Andrew Mitchell suggests British troops could help create safe havens in Syria

Politicians like to be in control of events, but every so often they get blown off their feet by a powerful gust of something-must-be-done-ism. It happened to David Cameron on Thursday last week, when the heart-breaking photographs of the corpse of little Aylan Kurdi gripped attention nationally (and internationally) and forced Cameron to re-evaluate his rather guarded and minimalist approach to the EU refugee crisis.
Something-must-be-done-ism is generally a poor platform for sound, long-term policy making, but in the short term it can provide a lightening bolt force for good and Aylan’s death has already prompted David Cameron to announce that more Syrian refugees will be admitted to the UK, as well as an extra £100m in aid spending. Rarely has the death of a toddler achieved so much so quickly.
Today Cameron will unveil more details for his revised refugee policy in a statement to the Commons at 3.30pm. MPs will also be particularly interested in what he says about the prospect of the government trying to get the Commons to vote to extend air strikes against Islamic State (Isis) in Syria.
On the Today programme this morning Andrew Mitchell, the former Conservative international development secretary, said Britain and other countries should get the UN to establish safe havens in Syria. This could involve British troops being deployed, he said.