Syria airstrikes: Jeremy Corbyn gives Labour MPs free vote

Jeremy Corbyn has made it clear he can not support RAF air strikes in Syria and is being pressured to offer his MPs a free vote after facing backlash from his shadow cabinet.

But former Welsh Secretary Peter Hain has questioned whether Labour can present itself as a shadow government if it does not have an official position on a matter as momentous as going to war.

“The problem about a free vote is it hands victory to Cameron of these air strikes, it hands victory to him on a plate”.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is due to meet his shadow cabinet to discuss possible air strikes in Syria amid deep splits in the parliamentary party.

“Party members and, increasingly, the country, want to see us oppose these air strikes, which are not the solution, with every sinew of our being, and that would mean a three-line whip”.

David Cameron is expected to make a statement this evening on the next steps on airstrikes in Syria, after Labour MPs were told they can vote with their consciences on military action.

He said: “My view about the membership of the Labour Party – they must have a voice”.

Pressed on the nature of the 70,000-strong moderate force in Syria, Mr Fallon insisted: “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”.

Pressed on whether he personally was ready to resign, Lord Falconer said: “I don’t want to comment on that”.

He went on: “Any attempt to force Labour’s leader out through a Westminster Palace-coup will be resisted all the way by Unite and, I believe, most party members and affiliated unions”. 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. Because I don’t think there is a convincing enough plan about what happens next after that.

The Labour Party leader remained defiant throughout the interview.

There have been reports that some MPs are plotting to remove Corbyn if it comes to this, having consulted lawyers on whether they could exclude him from the ballot paper in a new contest.

It will note that the resolution backs states to take “all necessary measures” to prevent terrorist acts by IS and to “eradicate the safe haven they have established over significant parts of Iraq and Syria”.

“There will be resignations among senior members of the shadow cabinet over this”, an unnamed senior shadow cabinet member told the BBC.

Responding to Mr Corbyn apparently agreeing to give Labour MPs a free vote, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: “So a party that says it is anti-airstrikes has just made a vote for airstrikes more likely?!”

He added: “It may be that the shadow cabinet decides to have a free vote on this and allow people to express their views”.

If Corbyn does impose a three-line whip and try to make Labour MPs vote against air strikes, Honeyman predicted that some of his frontbench team could quit.

What to do – or not to do – in Syria is a question that has gained urgency across Europe in the wake of this month’s terror attacks in Paris which ISIL said it carried out.