Cameron to order air strikes on ISIS leadership in Syria

The first planned air strikes are expected to follow within 36 hours of a “yes” vote, but defence sources say a “dynamic targeting attack” against a target of opportunity, such as an Isis leader, could take place within a few hours.

In his letter to activists, Mr Corbyn wrote: “I do not believe that the Prime Minister made a convincing case that British air strikes on Syria would strengthen our national security or reduce the threat from ISIS”.

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said peace campaigner Mr Corbyn would “make his mind up” in time for this afternoon’s meeting of the Shadow Cabinet.

“There shouldn’t be any party discipline on issues like this”.

Cardiff jihadist Reyaad Khan, one of three men from the city to have joined a group in Syria, was killed by the RAF in an air strike in August. “I am respectful of differences in opinion within our party”, he said.

He admitted it would be harder to get support if Labour ordered its MPs to vote against air strikes.

Mr Spellar said there was “real anger” about the way the leader was behaving. “We are still in the process of getting more clarity on where MPs stand on the issue”.

The Mirror told last week how up to half his MPs, including most of the Shadow Cabinet, were considering defying him and voting for airstrikes.

Labour Party MP Diane Abbot was at the protest to support the party leader Jeremy Corbyn’s stance towards the conflict.

The shadow cabinet is due to meet tomorrow to try to hammer out a collective position ahead of a potentially explosive gathering of the parliamentary party in the evening.

The Unite general secretary accused Labour MPs of a “sickening” effort to get rid of Mr Corbyn by exploiting the row over Syria.

Writing in the Huffington Post, he said: “Backbench MPs are even calling on him to quit for having the temerity to maintain his values and principles…”

On whether the Government had the number of votes required, he said: ‘Not yet, we’re working at it and we need to keep working at it because there are lots of questions abut this, you shouldn’t extend military operations lightly, there are legitimate questions to answer and we’re doing our best to answer them’.

Al-Adnani is reportedly in charge of the terror group’s “international attacks” unit, which is believed to have orchestrated the Paris massacre and has repeatedly targeted the United Kingdom for a mass-casualty atrocity.

Pressed on the nature of the 70,000-strong force in Syria Mr Cameron referred to, Mr Fallon 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”.

“I hope you are”, Corbyn said.

He said: “It’s me who decides”.

“It’s the season of goodwill and I don’t see how bombing a country where people are fleeing for their lives can do anything except make the situation a whole lot worse.”.

But many of his MPs, including some in his top team, are demanding a free vote rather than one in which they are directed to vote against the strikes.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told the same programme: “I don’t think it (air strikes on Syria) will solve the problem”.

He now insists he will not hold a vote until he is sure he has enough support.

“But the reason the Prime Minister won’t bring a vote to the House of Commons is that he doesn’t have his own party on side either”.