As Jeremy Corbyn offers his party a free vote over military action in Syria what are the arguments for and against the UK extending its air campaign againstIslamic State militants?
Why are we debating airstrikes in Syria?
The government is planning to hold a Commons vote on Wednesday on extending Britain’s bombing campaign against Isis from Iraq to Syria as public alarm about the extremist group’s continuing strength increases in the wake of the attacks in Paris. David Cameron set out the “moral” and “security” case for bombing Isis in Syria in the Commons last week, saying it was morally unacceptable to leave the US, France and other allies to carry the burden. “If not now, when?” he asked MPs.
The issue has exposed deep divisions in the Labour party. In 2013 Labour’s opposition helped inflict a surprise defeat against Cameron and his plans to launch airstrikes against the regime of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, over his use of chemical weapons. More than two years later many in the parliamentary Labour party, including half the shadow cabinet, are much more convinced by the case for airstrikes in Syria against Isis, which has seized and held territory amid the civil war. Corbyn, the party leader, is opposed.
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