Hilary Benn speech in favour of bombing ISIL divides Merseyside opinion

Spokesperson for the bookmaker, Graham Sharpe, stated: “The intriguing possibility of the two Hil(l)arys leading their countries at the same time has suddenly become more likely as Hilary Benn takes over as favourite to succeed Jeremy Corbyn, while Hillary Clinton is already odds-on favourite to win next year’s US Presidential Election”.

Hilary Benn’s celebrated speech backing air strikes was attacked by Jeremy Corbyn’s right hand man today as being similar to Tony Blair’s call for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

But he added: “The greatest oratory can lead us to the greatest mistakes”.

Some Labour MPs claim to have been sent pictures of dead babies by anti-war protesters and others have been branded warmongers and “red Tories”.

The debate has highlighted the depth of divisions in the party between left-wingers known as “Corbynistas” and those with more centrist views.

Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy, whose office was the target of anti-war protests, complained of intimidation while considering how to vote in Wednesday’s debate.

Former London mayor Ken Livingstone, who is co-chairing Labour’s defence review, has meanwhile suggested there might be “a few” de-selections of sitting Labour MPs.

Deputy leader Tom Watson, who has also been the subject of trolling after voting in favour of the airstrikes, is to raise the need for a bullying and social media policy with Labour’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee.

“And we are here faced by fascists”, he said.

Mr Livingstone later defended his comments, telling the BBC: “Nobody should be doing abusive tweets or anything like that, but people voicing their genuine belief that they would rather have an MP who supports the leader rather than undermines him should be free to say that”.

Sheffield MP Angela Smith said Labour MPs were moved to tears by the extraordinary speech, which she described as “moving” and “immensely powerful”. “How one gets there, of course, is another matter”. “He leads the party”.

He also condemned the abuse directed at Labour MPs who backed military action. “They hold us in contempt. They hold our values in contempt. They hold our belief in tolerance and decency in contempt”.

Asked whether David Cameron was concerned about reports of MPs being bullied, a Downing Street spokesman said: “The Prime Minister’s key view on this is it’s fundamental that MPs are able to express their views and set out their positions in the House on issues of great importance such as the debate we had yesterday”.