48 hours from a war in Syria? MPs vote on air strikes after humiliated Corbyn caves in to rebels and offers them a free vote
- PM said he would put his plan to Cabinet at its regular meeting on Tuesday
- Corbyn opposes airstrikes and insisted he would decide how Labour votes
- Almost 100 of the 231 Labour MPs ready to back military action
- Corbyn demands parliamentary debate lasting two days before decision
- Cameron now set to get a 'clear majority' in vote on Wednesday this week
- See more on Corbyn and Labour at www.dailymail.co.uk/labour
By
JAMES SLACK and
JASON GROVES - DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR, DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 12:39, 30 November 2015 | UPDATED: 00:10, 1 December 2015
Britain was last night preparing to start bombing Islamic State in Syria within 48 hours.
After a day of huge drama at Westminster, the Prime Minister announced MPs will vote on military action tomorrow.
The RAF is now readying Tornado fighter jets and Typhoon Eurofighters to launch the first strikes against IS fanatics within hours if – as now seems almost certain – Parliament votes in favour.
David Cameron has announced he will hold a debate Wednesday on whether Britain should launch airstrikes against militants in Syria
In a statement at 10 Downing Street, Mr Cameron, who appears here on SkyNews, said he would put his plan to Cabinet at its regular meeting on Tuesday
David Cameron said he believed there was growing support among MPs ‘to answer the call from our allies to act against Isil in Syria and Iraq’.
He added: ‘It is in the national interest, it is the right thing to do. We will be careful and responsible as we do so – but in my view it’s the right thing to do this to keep our country safe.’
Mr Cameron said the decision to take military action was ‘one of the most serious a prime minister can make’ but – in the wake of the Paris attacks – it was clear IS ‘poses a very direct threat to the United Kingdom’.
He took the decision to hold the vote following a day of bedlam in the Labour Party which left Jeremy Corbyn humiliated and Tory whips finally confident of success.
Yesterday morning, the Labour leader’s allies had warned that – if he gave his MPs a free vote – it would be handing certain victory to Mr Cameron.
Initially it appeared as if Mr Corbyn would stick to his principles and demand Labour MPs vote against military action. The leadership even released an unscientific poll of party members claiming 75 per cent were against bombing raids.
But, amid open revolt and threats of mass resignations, Mr Corbyn eventually caved in at a shadow cabinet meeting yesterday afternoon and offered the free vote. He is now facing recriminations from both the hard-Left – which wanted him to make a stand – and the moderates in his party for his botched handling of the debate.
Labour sources said he was ‘given a kicking’ in the meeting. Up to 100 Labour rebels could vote in favour of military action. Last night, there were also indications the Liberal Democrats might also support bombing.
Last night, senior Labour figures said that – while significant numbers of its MPs might still vote for military action – Mr Cameron had made a ‘huge tactical mistake’.
The party leadership had called for a two day debate to give all MPs a chance to have their say – and press the PM on what plan he has to defeat Islamic State on the ground. Labour sources hinted that, without the opportunity for a two-day debate, some MPs who supported the principle of air strikes might now vote against or abstain.
Mr Cameron said: ‘We will make sure that we have a very long and full debate on Wednesday and we will take the action necessary to make sure we have, in many ways, the equivalent number of questions we would often have across a two-day debate in one day.
’I want MPs to be able to have full consideration, to make speeches, to make points, to ask me questions, to examine the Government’s case.’
A statement from Mr Corbyn’s office said the shadow cabinet had ‘decided to support the call for David Cameron to step back from the rush to war and hold a full two-day debate in the House of Commons on such a crucial national decision’. Labour ‘agreed to call David Cameron to account on the unanswered questions raised by his case for bombing’, including how it would bring about a negotiated settlement in Syria and which ground troops would seize territory vacated by IS.
Last night, Jeremy Corbyn claimed the Prime Minister was engaged in a ‘rush to war’.
A spokesman said: ‘By refusing a full two-day debate, David Cameron is demonstrating he knows the debate is running away from him, and that the case he made last week is falling apart.
‘The Prime Minister should stop the rush to war to allow for a full discussion of the issues.’
Corbyn's day of humiliation: Labour leader forced to free vote on Syria air strikes after revolt in shadow cabinet
Jeremy Corbyn was humiliated by his shadow cabinet yesterday when he was forced to ditch plans to order his MPs to vote against air strikes in Syria.
Instead – in a dramatic U-turn – they will be offered a free vote on whether or not to back the attacks on Islamic State terrorists.
During a stormy two-hour meeting, Labour’s top team lined up to criticise their leader for his shambolic handling of the issue.
They also forced him to abandon an attempt to unilaterally change Labour’s policy to outright opposition to war – an initiative which his aides had briefed to friendly newspapers as the meeting began. Mr Corbyn had put his faltering authority on the line over the issue. He also came under fire later yesterday at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party and was seen making a hasty exit and looking ashen-faced.
David Cameron, pictured in Paris today, made an urgent statement tonight on the timetable for Britain joining airstrikes in Syria after Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was forced into a humiliating retreat on offering a free vote
Labour is left in the bizarre position of having no position on whether Britain should use military force against terrorist fanatics plotting to carry out atrocities in this country.
Mr Corbyn will speak out against air strikes when he responds to Mr Cameron’s proposals in the Commons – expected tomorrow – while shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn is expected to use the debate to speak in favour. A Labour source denied the party’s position was a shambles but admitted it was unusual for the front bench to make the case both for and against war.
A source said Mr Corbyn still had ‘full confidence’ in Mr Benn, but added: ‘Jeremy will be speaking for majority Labour Party opinion, he will be speaking on the basis of Party policy and he will be speaking as the leader of the Labour Party elected with a landslide.’
The row was the culmination of a dramatic 48 hours which had initially seen the Labour leader attempt to strong-arm his party’s most senior figures into backing his pacifist stance.
Mr Corbyn, former chairman of the Stop the War coalition, hit the airwaves over the weekend and insisted that his view would prevail, adding: ‘It’s the leader who decides.’
WHAT HAPPENS NOW? COUNTDOWN TO BRITAIN BOMBING ISIS IN SYRIA
Monday
Labour MPs given a free vote after dozens pushed to support airstrikes in Syria. Government ministers drawing up a motion for Commons to vote on. David Cameron makes a statement confirming the timing of the vote.
Tuesday
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon to make the case for bombing to MPs on defence select committee. MPs from all parties invited to security briefings on the need for intervention.
Wednesday
Debate and vote on airstrikes could be held straight after PMQs with Cameron making the case for military action. If MPs approve action at around 7pm, the first missiles could land in Syria within hours.
Thursday
David Cameron is in Bulgaria for talks on EU reform and a by-election is being held in Oldham West and Royton by-election, making it unlikely a debate and vote would be held today.
His ally Diane Abbott stepped up the rhetoric yesterday, saying that allowing Labour MPs a free vote would ‘hand victory to Cameron’.
She added: ‘The truth is we now know the party as a whole, in the country and even within the Parliamentary Labour Party, is opposed to these bombings and they are looking to Jeremy to show leadership.’
The leader’s office then released the results of an unscientific poll of party supporters, claiming it showed three-quarters were against the war. Labour claimed to have sampled 1,900 of almost 108,000 responses received by the party at the weekend, although it later emerged the figure may have been closer to 100.
Mr Corbyn’s controversial communications chief Seamas Milne briefed the Guardian newspaper that although Labour MPs would get a free vote, the party’s policy would be changed to make it clear that anyone voting for war would be in breach of the party’s official position.
Infuriated members of the shadow cabinet then staged a co-ordinated revolt which forced Mr Corbyn into total capitulation.
Chief whip Rosie Winterton warned it would be impossible to whip the vote because almost 100 MPs, including members of her own office, backed Mr Cameron on the need for military action against IS.
Several members of the shadow cabinet warned they ‘would not leave the room’ until Mr Corbyn had backed down. Mr Benn threatened to step down and make the case for strikes from the backbenches.
Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham, who is undecided on the case for air strikes, criticised Mr Corbyn’s ‘poor handling’ of the issue – and condemned his attempt to mobilise party members against MPs. Another senior figure accused Mr Corbyn of trying to organise a ‘witch hunt’ against MPs who support military action. One shadow cabinet minister said Mr Corbyn got a ‘thorough kicking’ in the two hour-long meeting saying: ‘It was unlike any shadow cabinet meeting we’ve had before’.
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, Mr Corbyn’s closest ally, and Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson both encouraged him to allow a free vote. Mr Corbyn’s climb down dismayed allies on the Left and provoked anger against moderate MPs.
Pete Willsman, a member of Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee, said: ‘Jeremy is so soft he wouldn’t say boo to a goose, he’s so good-natured. I would be much tougher with these people.’
There was further humiliation when Labour MPs laid into Mr Corbyn at a meeting of the PLP. One Labour grandee said later that there was a ‘ferocity’ about the meeting and that Mr Corbyn appeared ‘crouched’.
Labour grandee Margaret Beckett confronted him over his appeal to members saying: ‘You cannot unite the party if the leaders’ office is determined to divide us.’ Jack Dromey said Labour could not ‘look mealy-mouthed on national security’.
THE BRIMSTONE MISSILE: BRITAIN'S DEADLY WEAPON IS AIMED AT ISIS
The £100,000 missile, which was developed in Britain, first came into service in 2005 and is used by the RAF.
The laser-guided Brimstone missile, which can hit a small, fast-moving target, could be used by RAF pilots to assassinate IS leaders one by one.
Britain and Saudi Arabia are currently the only two countries in the world to have invested in Brimstones.
The British-designed missile destroys its target with a contained explosion that generates relatively little debris.
It is far more sophisticated than the Americans' Hellfire weapons, which generate a large and deadly field of shrapnel when they explode.
The £100,000 Brimstone – which was used against Colonel Gaddafi's regime in Libya in 2011 – can be fired from a Tornado GR4 at 20,000ft and is capable of hitting vehicles travelling at up to 70mph.
It can be launched from a plane which is flying up to seven miles away from its target.
Each missile has a small but highly focused explosive warhead – which reduces the chance of shrapnel hitting civilians – as well as an adjustable fuse which allows the pilot to decide exactly when it will explode.
The RAF would use the state-of-the-art weaponry to take out particular targets on a British 'kill list' in Syria should MPs vote in favour of extending the mission this week.
It is understood that Tornado planes would concentrate on hitting the 'upper tier' of IS leadership structure in their stronghold.
IS command posts and training camps will also be identified as key targets for any British aircraft operating over Syria, according to Defence Secretary Michael Fallon.
The missile's dual-mode guidance system – with a laser designator and a sophisticated radar – makes it the ideal weapon for destroying IS fanatics driving on motorbikes or on gun trucks.
It also makes the RAF a formidable force in the IS stronghold of Raqqa, where other coalition nations have struggled to take out targets for fear of civilian
It is said to be especially good at targeting tanks and other heavy weaponry and uses a 'highly focused' explosive warhead to reduce shrapnel. This in turn can reduce the number of casualties.
This is the moment the Brimstone is about to hit a car moving through the desert at more than 70mph
Sources close to the Prime Minister say he has been 'enraged' by senior ISIS figures being able to hide in Syria and 'wants to take them out'.
He told RAF commanders: 'We've got to go out and kill the bastards,' according to the Sunday Times.
The Indpendent newspaper quoted British Ministry of Defense source saying Britain is considering deploying Eurofighter Typhoons to Al Dhafra airbase, in the United Arab Emirates, on a long term basis for use against ISIS and to maintain mutual interest with GCC [Gulf] partners in ensuring peace and stability in the region.
Britain launched 17 deadly attacks in Iraq in the ten days since the Paris terror attacks, it emerged last week.
Seven of the raids came in the past three days in a clear escalation of force used since 130 people were killed by three teams of jihadis in the French capital on Friday, November 13.
In one extraordinary show of force one Tornado used a laser-guided Paveway bomb to kill 30 ISIS fighters massing for an attack against Kurdish forces. So far no British jets have been shot down
.
Over the weekend Labour MPs have received thousands of emails from Stop the War and the hardleft Corbyn-supporting Momentum group.
The bombardment, coupled with abuse on Facebook and Twitter, is thought to have pressured some undecided MPs to agree to oppose military action.
One shadow cabinet minister told MailOnline: 'The bullying and intimidation they unleashed from Thursday onwards will have had an impact on some colleagues.
It's the leader who decides. I'll make up my mind in due course
Jeremy Corbyn on Sunday
'It is also very hard to reconcile demanding a three-line whip with the new politics of debate, discussion, respect and a kinder way of doing politics.
'The last four days have blown a massive hole in that pretence.'
In an attempt to bolster Mr Corbyn's position, Labour released the results of a survey of 1,900 party members which showed 75 per cent are opposed to Britain launching airstrikes against ISIS in Syria, putting them at odds with the wider public where 60 per cent are in favour of bombing.
A survey ordered by Mr Corbyn received 107,875 responses, of which 64,771 were confirmed as full individual Labour Party members.
An initial analysis of 1,900 responses showed 75 per cent opposed to bombing, 13 per cent in favour of the air strikes and 11 per cent undecided.
Bizarrely, Mr Corbyn will open the debate for Labour, making the case against airstrikes, while his shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn will close it - despite being in favour of military action.
Over the weekend Labour MPs have received thousands of emails from Stop the War and the hardleft Corbyn-supporting Momentum group.
The bombardment, coupled with abuse on Facebook and Twitter, is thought to have pressured some undecided MPs to agree to oppose military action.
One shadow cabinet minister told MailOnline: 'The bullying and intimidation they unleashed from Thursday onwards will have had an impact on some colleagues.
It's the leader who decides. I'll make up my mind in due course
Jeremy Corbyn on Sunday
'It is also very hard to reconcile demanding a three-line whip with the new politics of debate, discussion, respect and a kinder way of doing politics.
'The last four days have blown a massive hole in that pretence.'
In an attempt to bolster Mr Corbyn's position, Labour released the results of a survey of 1,900 party members which showed 75 per cent are opposed to Britain launching airstrikes against ISIS in Syria, putting them at odds with the wider public where 60 per cent are in favour of bombing. lol
A survey ordered by Mr Corbyn received 107,875 responses, of which 64,771 were confirmed as full individual Labour Party members.
RED LEN: MPS PLOTTING TO OUST CORBYN ARE PLAYING WITH FIRE
Unite boss Len McCluskey accused rebels of a 'sickening' attempt to remove Mr Corbyn
Senior Labour MPs plotting to oust Jeremy Corbyn are 'playing with fire', Unite union boss Len McCluskey has warned.
He said the issue was being used as the 'thin edge to stage a coup' - and insisted his union would fight 'all the way' to prevent the tactic working.
In an article for Huffington Post, Mr McCluskey - who endorsed Mr Corbyn's bid for the leadership but has since criticised his performance - made clear that he thought David Cameron's plan to extend airstrikes from Iraq to Syria was 'illegal and irrational'.
He pointed out Mr Corbyn had an 'overwhelming' mandate from 60 per cent of Labour Party supporters.'
In a stark warning to Labour MPs plotting against the leader, Mr McCluskey added: 'They are playing with fire. 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.'
'He has been denounced for writing to MPs and party members making his views on Syria clear - as if his huge mandate, which included support for his long-standing anti-war record, had simply earned him the right to be seen but not heard,' Mr McCluskey said.
An initial analysis of 1,900 responses showed 75 per cent opposed to bombing, 13 per cent in favour of the air strikes and 11 per cent undecided.
Until today Mr Corbyn had three options: decide that the party whip - or order - all MPs to oppose strikes; he could let the shadow cabinet decide on whipping or he could give MPs a free vote.
Just yesterday he ruled out a free vote and sought to stamp his authority on the party, insisting: 'It's the leader who decides. I'll make up my mind in due course.'
However, official Labour party rules state that decisions on whipping are made by the shadow cabinet not the leader.
Section R3 of the standing orders of the PLP, which governs Commons votes, says: 'While the party recognises the right of members to abstain from voting in the House on matters of deeply held personal conviction, any such personal intention shall be intimated in advance and as soon as possible to the Chief Whip.
'This does not entitle members to vote contrary to a decision of the Cabinet/Shadow Cabinet,'
PoliticsHome reported.
Another frontbencher told MailOnline before today's meeting: 'I know this might seem difficult to believe but I think there is an element of chaos and confusion around the leader and his office.
'The leader doesn't decide the whipping arrangements, the shadow cabinet do. We will have a row about this.'
To add to the sense of confusion, just hours before the decision to offer a free vote was announced Ms Abbott went on the radio to insist all Labour MPs should be whipped.
The shadow international development secretary insisted decisions on 'matters of peace and war' should be made by the leader.
She added: 'It's a matter for the leader what the whipping will be, but we are a party of government and a party of government has to have a position on matters of peace and war.
'The problem about a free vote is it hands victory to Cameron over these air strikes, it hands victory to him on a plate. I don't think that's what party members want to see.'
Ms Abbott told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: '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.'
Dozens of Labour MPs are thought to support air strikes, including a majority of the shadow cabinet, and imposing a whip could trigger a wave of resignations.
Ms Abbott said: 'Jeremy does not want to have either sackings or resignations, none of us want to lose valued colleagues.
'However, I think the party and increasingly the public would be disappointed if we didn't oppose these air strikes to the limits of our ability.'
In an attempt to bolster Mr Corbyn's position, Labour released the results of a survey of 1,900 party members which showed 75 per cent are opposed to Britain launching airstrikes against ISIS in Syria, putting them at odds with the wider public where 60 per cent are in favour of bombing
WHAT A MESS: HOW CORBYN & CO. CHANGED THEIR TUNE ON VOTE
As a low profile backbencher, Jeremy Corbyn rebelled against the Labour line more than 500 times and called for a free vote on military action.
As leader he insisted that was not an option and he was in charge, with ally Diane Abbott warning just this morning that a free vote would 'hand victory' to David Cameron.
But all that changed at today's shadow cabinet meeting. Here is how Mr Corbyn and his allies have changed their minds:
- Jeremy Corbyn, 13 June 2013: 'On something so fundamental as the deployment of armed forces, a free vote is the right thing to do.'
- John McDonnell, Sept 29: 'I am hoping on the Syria thing it should be a free vote on the basis of conscience.'
- Jeremy Corbyn, Nov 16: 'I don't think a free vote is something that we are offering.'
- Jeremy Corbyn, Nov 29: 'It's the leader who decides.'
- Diane Abbott, Nov 30, 7.50am: '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 sources, Nov 30, 2pm: Labour will offer a free vote.
- Spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn, Nov 30, 4.30pm: 'Today's Shadow Cabinet agreed to back Jeremy Corbyn's recommendation of a free vote on the Government's proposal to authorise UK bombing in Syria.'
Read more:
David Cameron to call for debate on ISIS airstrikes in Syria | Daily Mail Online
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) and than you will say " Oh look these Islamists(even though you are muslim/islamist as well) are attacking us " , make up your mind this time before entering another war against your many terrorist groups who are scattered all over your country and have wreak havoc against your people and brave soldiers. My advice is just let these Islamic terrorist groups be ( instead of bombing and launching offensives against them like you are doing in your tribal areas), give them land and let them rule over their territory then i'm sure Pakistan will live in peace happily ever after. 
I can even bet that if every Pakistani could afford to travel/immigrate abroad, then the county will be totally empty in less than a day(and they will still blame the evil west for that as well.lol). 
