A BOLTON MP has said she would have voted against airstrikes to combat terrorist organisation ISIS.

Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East, missed the parliamentary vote on Friday because she was abroad, but says she would not have supported Britain’s involvement in military actions against the group.

Her Bolton Labour colleagues Julie Hilling, MP for Bolton West, and Bolton North East MP David Crausby voted to support the air strikes.

Ms Qureshi said: “Unfortunately I wasn’t able to be at parliament on the day of the vote. I was overseas and unable to return at such short notice.

“There’s no doubt to any reasonable person that the threat of ISIS, an evil and repulsive terrorist group, must be addressed.

“But like many constituents that have written to me, I’m not convinced that military action is an effective strategy to just target terrorists without harming innocent civilians and significantly damaging infrastructure.

"Nor am I convinced there is a credible long-term strategy which would build up the capacity of the Iraqi army or even address a potential threat of radicalisation in the UK.

"There have been far too many mistakes in recent years, causing many in conflict zones to pay the price for misconceived actions.”