Cameron’s strongest sign yet he will call for Syria airstrikes vote

He again refused to bow to demands for a free vote yesterday, instead merely delivering an impassioned critique of David Cameron’s case for attacking Islamic State (IS) in its heartlands.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has faced increasingly furious attacks from his own MPs on the issue since Thursday, when he told his shadow cabinet he would not support airstrikes.

Asked whether Labour MPs – dozens of whom are thought to be considering supporting action – would be given a free vote, Mr Corbyn said: “No decision has been made on that yet, I am going to find out what MPs think”.

Rather than ignoring this recent history by joining the long list of countries that have bombed Syria in the a year ago we urge the government to stop arming reactionary and aggressive regimes like Saudi Arabia and Qatar that sponsor terrorist groups and look for political solutions as the only viable way to end the conflict.

Mr Murray said Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale was also opposed to air strikes, but added: “There are wide views on this particular issue – it is an incredibly emotive issue”.

During Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Mr Cameron said he was “not for one minute” arguing that air strikes alone would deal with IS. “There are some issues, like going to war that should be above party politics and I think we are moving to a situation where, hopefully, in all parties on issues like this, a moral conscience should be above the whip as well”.

He said: “In principle I’m not against taking military action which would have to be taken to tackle ISIL”.

Corbyn wrote to Cameron: “As of this morning, we have not had a clear proposal from the government on when you plan to bring forward a motion to the house on airstrikes in Syria or on arrangements for the debate”.

Nevertheless, Mr Cameron – who has always said he will only go back to Parliament if he was sure of winning – clearly now believes that he has the numbers in the bag to offset any Tory rebels still opposed to intervening.

Usually all of them would be expected to support their leader – and the party position.

The comments, in a press conference at the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit in Malta, come with senior ministers contacting Labour MPs to try to convince them to back an extension of RAF strikes against Islamic State (IS).

The immediate point of contention is over “whipping”, the question of whether Corbyn will order the Labour Party’s 231 lawmakers to vote against David Cameron’s plans or whether he will grant his colleagues permission to vote freely.

On the 70,000-strong Syrian force referred to by the PM, Mr Fallon admitted they were not “a new model army”, but said: “We do know who they are and this is an independent joint intelligence committee assessment, it’s not ministers making this figure, it’s their assessment and it’s supported by academics”.

Ms Dugdale said: “I am of the view that the case simply has not been made for air strikes in Syria. Why?”

Britain is already involved in air strikes against IS jihadists in Iraq but has not so far taken part in bombing the group’s positions in Syria. “I am respectful of differences of opinion within our party”.

Cameron has said he wouldn’t take the matter to Parliament unless he could be certain of victory, anxious that Britain’s prestige would be at risk.