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Jeremy Corbyn faces threat of shadow cabinet resignations Jeremy Corbyn faces threat of shadow cabinet resignations
(about 2 hours later)
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is facing the threat of resignations from his shadow cabinet amid a split over his stance on UK air strikes in Syria. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is facing the threat of resignations from his shadow cabinet over his opposition to UK air strikes in Syria.
Mr Corbyn has written to his MPs saying he cannot support David Cameron's call to extend bombing operations against so-called Islamic State to Syria. He wrote to all Labour MPs saying he was not convinced by David Cameron's arguments for military action.
One unnamed senior frontbencher has warned people could quit if Mr Corbyn orders the shadow cabinet to back him. Half of his shadow cabinet back air strikes - and one unnamed member warned of resignations if Mr Corbyn tried to force them to back his position.
Mr Corbyn has pulled out of a campaign visit to Oldham West amid the row. Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn has attempted to play down the row.
He had been due to campaign in the constituency later ahead of next week's by-election. He is at odds with Mr Corbyn over Syria, having described the case for air strikes as "compelling," but he said would not quit over the issue.
A spokeswoman for him said: "Regrettably Jeremy Corbyn is not now visiting Oldham because matters to do with Syria mean he must return to London." 'Publicity coup'
'At war headlines' He said Labour MPs might "end up" being given a free vote on the issue to avoid further damaging splits, even though that would mean the Labour leader voting against many of his senior colleagues.
His stance on Syria has put him at odds with a number of his MPs, with many of Friday's newspaper headlines describing the Labour Party as being "at war" over the issue. Mr Corbyn has pulled out of a visit to Oldham West, where he was due to campaign ahead of next week's by-election, to deal with the unfolding row.
The prime minister argued in the Commons on Thursday that targeting IS in Syria would make Britain safer. What appears to have angered the shadow cabinet is Mr Corbyn's decision to send a message to Labour MPs before they had reached agreement on a common position.
Mr Corbyn's decision to write to Labour MPs setting out his opposition - before the shadow cabinet had reached agreement - was criticised by a senior shadow minister. One senior shadow cabinet member said: "There will be resignations among senior members of the shadow cabinet over this."
They told the BBC: "There will be resignations among senior members of the shadow cabinet over this." David Cameron spent nearly three hours on Wednesday answering questions from MPs in an attempt to convince them of the case for air strikes.
Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn said he found the case for strikes "compelling". He has said he will not hold a vote authorising military action until he can be certain of winning it, to avoid handing IS a "publicity coup".
He needs the backing of a certain number of Labour MPs to offset any rebellion on his own side.
He argued in the Commons that targeting Islamic State - also known as ISIL or Daesh - in Syria would make Britain safer.
Hilary Benn told Radio 4's Today programme he would not quit but he insisted that the terror threat to the UK was "very, very clear" and it was right the UK "plays its full part" in targeted military action in Syria.
Mr Corbyn, he said, was "perfectly entitled" to express his view to Labour MPs and every member of the shadow cabinet would be making their own mind up about what to do.
Asked if this meant that they would be given a free vote - and would not be under orders to vote in a certain way - he said "that remains to be seen", adding "maybe that is where we end up".
"This is very complex, it is very difficult," he said. "I respect those who take a different view, I genuinely do."
'Grassroots views'
However, shadow international development secretary Diane Abbott insisted the shadow cabinet was not entitled to vote down the Labour leader and that she believed they would come to the "right decision".However, shadow international development secretary Diane Abbott insisted the shadow cabinet was not entitled to vote down the Labour leader and that she believed they would come to the "right decision".
She said: "I know what views party members will take if MPs ignore the views of the people at the grassroots and try and take this issue to the brink.She said: "I know what views party members will take if MPs ignore the views of the people at the grassroots and try and take this issue to the brink.
"Jeremy appoints the shadow cabinet - not the other way round. "Jeremy appoints the shadow cabinet - not the other way round. You cannot have a shadow cabinet voting down the leader of the Labour Party who has just been elected with the biggest mandate in history."
"You cannot have a shadow cabinet voting down the leader of the Labour Party who has just been elected with the biggest mandate in history."
Shadow employment secretary Emily Thornberry told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she felt the prime minister failed to make the case for air strikes in Syria and added there was a "brutally honest debate going on" within the Labour Party.
She said: "When it comes to an issue of war it is something that people think very profoundly about.
"We do usually act collectively, but I think on issues like this there are times when people cannot stick to a whip which is imposed."
AnalysisAnalysis
By Laura Kuenssberg, BBC political editorBy Laura Kuenssberg, BBC political editor
It's no secret that Jeremy Corbyn is a longstanding opponent of military intervention in the Middle East. After the debate on Thursday he met his shadow cabinet to try to hammer out a common position.It's no secret that Jeremy Corbyn is a longstanding opponent of military intervention in the Middle East. After the debate on Thursday he met his shadow cabinet to try to hammer out a common position.
After a difficult couple of hours it was plain, despite the leader being opposed, that most of the shadow team is in favour of air strikes. So they agreed to disagree, and to talk again after the weekend.After a difficult couple of hours it was plain, despite the leader being opposed, that most of the shadow team is in favour of air strikes. So they agreed to disagree, and to talk again after the weekend.
Then, to the astonishment of some of Mr Corbyn's own team, just a couple of hours later, his office published a letter that made it abundantly clear there is no chance he will back air strikes, and his position is set.Then, to the astonishment of some of Mr Corbyn's own team, just a couple of hours later, his office published a letter that made it abundantly clear there is no chance he will back air strikes, and his position is set.
Making that move has, in the words of one shadow minister, "lit the blue touch paper" in the shadow cabinet.Making that move has, in the words of one shadow minister, "lit the blue touch paper" in the shadow cabinet.
Another said members were so angry they had to be "scraped off the ceiling".Another said members were so angry they had to be "scraped off the ceiling".
Read more from LauraRead more from Laura
Mr Cameron told MPs he would only hold a Commons vote authorising action in Syria if he was certain he could win it - which would depend on persuading Labour MPs to back him. Shadow employment secretary Emily Thornberry told Today she felt the prime minister failed to make the case for air strikes in Syria and added there was a "brutally honest debate going on" within the Labour Party.
The vote could come as soon as next week, with former Tory rebels and some Labour backbenchers indicating they now backed action. She said: "When it comes to an issue of war it is something that people think very profoundly about. We do usually act collectively, but I think on issues like this there are times when people cannot stick to a whip which is imposed."
MPs voted against UK military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government in 2013. MPs voted against UK military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government in 2013. But they did later approve British air strikes against IS extremists in Iraq.
But they did later approve British air strikes against IS extremists in Iraq.
'Freedom to express views'
Speaking on BBC Question Time, Ken Livingstone, recently appointed to Labour's defence review team, said he suspected its MPs would be given a "free vote" on Syria, meaning they would not be forced to follow a party line.
The former London mayor said: "You can't force people to vote to kill other people or not to vote to kill them.
"This must be a matter in which people have the freedom to express their own views."
Mr Corbyn said the shadow cabinet would continue trying "to reach a common view" on Syria on Monday.