A West Yorkshire MP has today condemned the bombing of Iraq and spoke out against the Government's actions.

Bradford West MP Marsha Singh said: "I feel unable to support the government on humanitarian grounds."

He said the air raids on Iraq were not the best way of fighting Saddam Hussain. "During the aerial bombardment of Iraqi cities, civilians, women and children will inevitably be the prime victims."

The MP was speaking as the Americans and British stepped up the bombings of Iraq during a second night of missile attacks in which there were reports of 25 killed.

Mr Singh accused the Government and the US of breaching the United Nations Charter. He said: "The UN Charter and Security Council resolutions are there to be upheld by all nations. I feel this action reduces Britain's status in the world."

"Britain should be using all of its global diplomatic influence to secure a peaceful solution to this crisis.

"I believe that war will have tragic consequences, not only for the people of Iraq, but for the wider aims of a lasting Middle East peace.

"The time has not yet arrived to say that there is 'no other option' but to engage Saddam in Gulf War Two."

Shipley MP Chris Leslie last night spoke out in the House of Commons when MP Tony Benn criticised the raids. He said: "I simply asked him what was his credible alternative strategy for disarming Saddam and he couldn't reply.

"We live in a democracy and can express our views but I think there is a very significant risk from Saddam Hussein and in this case there was no other option.

"It's with a heavy heart but I'm very secure in the knowledge that the actions taken by Britain and America were for the benefit of the rest of the world and I support them completely.

"We've tried and tried again with diplomacy and this time last month were taken to the brink but gave Saddam one last chance when some people were saying we should take military action then."

Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe said today: "I understand the concerns of Mr Singh and others with regard to civilian casualties but we cannot turn away from what has happened and should be supporting the Government on this."

During the night waves of bomb-laden RAF Tornados flew from the Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait to pound targets inside Iraq. Jets, carrying laser-guided munitions, returned to base safely after flying two separate missions during a six-hour attack.

Operation Desert Fox also involved more than 200 American jets and hundreds of cruise missiles.

The stepping up of the campaign came just hours after a House of Commons Emergency debate on the conflict when left-wing Labour MPs claimed a "procedural trick" had denied them a chance to register their opposition to the air strikes.

Today, the Bishop of Bradford, the Right Reverend David Smith, said: "Christians share the anxiety and concern of their Muslim brothers and sisters over the bombing in Iraq and the suffering of the Iraqi people.

"We will be joining our prayers with people of other faiths that there will be peace with justice in Iraq."

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