UK Reluctant to Call Daesh Crimes Genocide Despite MPs' Unanimous Vote

Backbench MPs in Britain have backed a motion declaring atrocities perpetrated by Daesh militants against religious minorities, including Christians and Yazidis in Iraq and Syria as "genocide," despite reluctance from the British government to use the word to describe the atrocities.

MPs voted 278-0 in declaring the atrocities by Daesh militants as genocide, which includes violence against the Sunni militant group, against Yazidis, Christians and Shi-ite Muslims in the Middle East.

Debate on a motion on recognition of genocide by Daesh — News from Parliament — UK Parliament https://t.co/xRgjdJBxOV via @UKParliament

— Tania Kader Hussein (@TaniaHusse) April 24, 2016​

Conservative MP Fiona Bruce tabled the motion:

"That this house believes Christians, Yazidis, and other ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq and Syria are suffering genocide at the hands of Daesh; and calls upon Her Majesty's government to make an immediate referral to the United Nations security council with a view to conferring jurisdiction upon the international criminal court so that perpetrators can be brought to justice."

However, despite the unanimous decision in the House of Commons, it's not a matter for the government to decide, according to a Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood. Speaking for the government, Ellwood said he personally accepted genocide had taken place but it should be left to UN Security Council to decide.

Me in @TheTimes: I hope all MPs back Fiona Bruce's bid to designate ISIS' crimes as genocide https://t.co/ipaUm7JqiD pic.twitter.com/0VVQa9ZCpB

— Tim Montgomerie ن (@montie) April 18, 2016​

Ahead of the debate, the government directed ministers and parliamentary aides to abstain from the vote.

The US, European Parliament and the Council of Europe have all declared Daesh murder and repression of religious ethnic groups as genocide, so questions are now being asked why the British government is so reluctant to officially call it the same.

#Daesh promise an idyllic lifestyle for families in their territory however when they arrive they find a living hell pic.twitter.com/3T50XJqtMt

— Tobias Ellwood MP (@Tobias_Ellwood) April 21, 2016​

And answers are being sought in the recent deal between the European Union and Turkey to stop Syrian refugees from coming into Europe from Turkey, and fear of upsetting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

President Erdogan has said in the past that Turkey will ignore any qualification of the Armenian massacres in 1915 as genocide; which could be why the British government are keen to keep the word out of international politics while Ankara assists the EU with the refugee crisis.