Cameron makes case for air strikes in Syria

The PM has said there is a “compelling case” for air strikes against so-called Islamic State targets in Syria.

Mr Hollande, who this morning met families of the victims in Paris, told reporters that the terror attacks showed “man is the worst enemy of man”. Thanking the British people for their support, Mr Hollande told a press conference at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) in Malta: “I do hope that the House of Commons will be able to meet the request of Prime Minister Cameron”. “Its involvement over Syria would make a practical difference”, Le Drian wrote in the column, published on the Guardian website.

A push by Prime Minister David Cameron to convince lawmakers to support extending air strikes has exposed further divisions, with Corbyn writing to his party saying he could not back the case for military action.

Mr Cameron has vowed to hold a Commons vote on joining air strikes in Syria when he is confident he can win it, which could depend on persuading enough Labour MPs to back his case to counter any Conservative rebellion.

Jeremy Corbyn has written to his MPs to say that he can not support air strikes in Syria.

He said: “Jeremy is perfectly entitled – he is the elected leader of the Labour party with a very large mandate, and he is perfectly entitled – to express to Labour MPs his view and the conclusion that he has reached about the choice it looks as if we are going to face in parliament, as are others”. “There are proper issues to be discussed about this – about what sort of ground forces, what alliances should be made with countries in the region”.

The prime minister also has the public’s backing over the issue, according to a poll from YouGov.

While Mr Campbell is a long-time supporter of Mr Corbyn, the Labour leader also received strong support from North East MPs who backed rival candidates in the leadership contest earlier this year.

Another Labour MP John Spellar, a member of the defence select committee, said Mr Corbyn’s behaviour had been “unacceptable”.

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“So I am writing to consult you on what you think Britain should do”.

The Labour leader could now find himself in the position of voting against his own party’s line if the majority of shadow Cabinet members push.

The BBC’s Allegra Stratton said the email appeared to be an attempt to “undercut” the views of those in his Shadow Cabinet he disagreed with. “Then he thinks he can bypass his shadow cabinet and the Parliamentary Labour Party”.

Cameron, who ruled out deploying British ground forces, said he was pursuing an “IS-first” strategy while continuing to work for long-term peace for Syria.

He said Mr Cameron would want to give MPs “a little bit of time” to consider his arguments before deciding whether to go for a Commons vote – possibly as early as next week.