Francois Hollande on Friday urged British MPs to back air strikes on Islamic State targets in Syria “in solidarity with France”, in a tight vote expected early next week.
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But a number of shadow cabinet ministers are concerned that Mr Corbyn and his team want to rally support for an anti-war amendment – which could be backed from MPs across the political spectrum – in an effort to outflank their support for RAF bombing raids.
He said ministers would give MPs the chance to reflect over the weekend on Mr Cameron’s case before deciding whether to press for a Commons vote.
Mr Corbyn is expected to suffer a further blow in a key by-election on Thursday, with some party figures fearing Labour could even lose the previously safe seat of Oldham West and Royton to Ukip. “After the week that we’ve had, the best way of holding the party together, but allowing MPs to solemnly express what they feel, is for us to have a free vote”.
The SNP’s leader at Westminster, Angus Robertson indicated that his party was likely to oppose the military action.
In a Stop the War letter to the prime minister, signed by actors, writers and musicians, it says: “The current rush to bomb Syria following the bad events in Paris risks a risky escalation which will inflame the war there and increase bitterness against the west”.
Labour’s shadow cabinet will meet on Monday at 1pm to attempt to reach an agreement.
Cameron lost a vote on air strikes against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in 2013 and must persuade some wary members of his own Conservative Party and in the opposition Labour Party to back him if he is to win parliament’s support for military action.
“I am the deputy leader of the Labour Party with a mandate”, he said.
Former minister John Spellar said: “He is nearly certainly trying to bounce the shadow Cabinet into (opposing air strikes)”.
But staunch Labour Party member Chris Burke, who joined the ranks exactly 40 years ago when Harold Wilson was Prime Minister, and his City of Lincoln colleague Karen Lee each agreed that calls for Mr Corbyn’s resignation were totally wrong at this time. I think would China jump at the opportunity to involved because it would bring them on to the global stage.
The MP also suggested the survey would only reach the new Labour members and registered supporters attracted by Mr Corbyn, as the party did not have email addresses for numerous long-term backers.
Asked if a vote on action in Syria was certain to go ahead, Fallon said: “No. We are committed to building a consensus, seeing whether there is a majority there”.
As many as several thousand people protested in London on Saturday against the possibility of British airstrikes in Syria, as the country’s lawmakers remained divided over the possibility of expanding military intervention in the region.
He also noted “it’s not about United Kingdom ground troops”.
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He said airstrikes should be part of a “comprehensive overall strategy” to destroy IS, end the Syrian war and help rebuild the country.
