For the future of Libya and its people, Colonel Gaddafi’s regime must end and he must leave
David Cameron
David Cameron has said the government is considering imposing a no-fly zone over Libya as the pressure grows on Colonel's Gaddafi's regime.
In a statement to the House of Commons this afternoon the prime minister said would "not rule out in any way" the use of military force against Gaddafi.
"We must not tolerate this regime using military force against its own people," he said.
"In that context I have asked the Ministry of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff to work with our allies on plans for a military no-fly zone."
He added: "My message to Colonel Gaddafi is simple: Go now."
On Friday Cameron authorised a military operation to rescue Britons stranded in the Libyan desert.
The move followed days of heavy criticism levelled at the Foreign Office's initial rescue efforts.
And he said on Saturday two RAF C130 aircraft flew into the Eastern desert and picked up 74 British nationals and 102 foreign nationals at three different locations.
A second mission took place yesterday, bringing out a further 21 British nationals and 168 foreign nationals.
On the second mission, one of the aircraft involved suffered minor damage from small arms fire.
Cameron told the Commons: "For the future of Libya and its people, Colonel Gaddafi’s regime must end and he must leave.
"To that end we are taking every step possible to isolate the Gaddafi regime, deprive it of money, shrink its power and ensure that anyone responsible for abuses in Libya will be held to account."
Ed Miliband praised the efforts of the British military to rescue people from the crisis hit North African country and he said the "only acceptable future is one without Colonel Gaddafi and his regime".
But the Labour leader said Cameron should apologise for the perceived failure of his government to react quickly enough to the violence in Libya.
"What wider lessons he has personally learned about the running of his government?" he asked.
"Can he promise British nationals abroad in the future wont be let down by the chaos and incompetence we saw last week."
Cameron said that "of course there are always lessons to be learned" but said Miliband should apologise himself for the "dodgy dealing with Libya" of the last Labour government.
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