Prime Minister David Cameron is leading the push for bombing.
Advertisement
Exact numbers at the protest – organized by the Stop the War Coalition movement – had yet to be determined, with the Associated Press reporting that “hundreds” had taken part in the demonstrations, while the AFP news agency put the number at roughly 4,000.
Organisers said they were expecting around 5,000 people to join the rally in London, while smaller protests were being staged at 20 locations across the country including Bristol, Coventry, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Swansea and Norwich.
Mr Cameron said in a speech yesterday0: ‘I think there is a compelling case that taking military action alongside our allies can help to address the threat from Isil [Islamic State]’.
The government wants a Commons vote on the question but Mr Corbyn is opposed to any further military action.
He said: “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”.
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?!”
Jeremy Corbyn has warned plotters against his leadership that he is “not going anywhere” over his opposition to bombing Syria, as he urged MPs to listen to the Labour membership.
An opinion poll suggested 48% of British voters supported extending air strikes to hit Islamic State in Syria with 30% opposed.
Corbyn refused to accept that it had been a “terrible” week for the Labour party, despite the split over Syria, remarks from Ken Livingstone that Tony Blair was to blame for the 7/7 London bombings, and John McDonnell quoting Mao Zedong from the dispatch box.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has faced increasingly furious attacks from his own MPs on the issue since Thursday, when he told his shadow cabinet he would not support airstrikes.
Jeremy Corbyn is to offer a free vote to MPs on David Cameron’s proposals for United Kingdom to bomb Isis in Syria but will make it clear that Labour party policy is to oppose airstrikes.
He said: “If there is a vote held this week then I would vote against”.
“At this point, I do not believe that bombing Syria will make it safe, any more than bombing Iraq made Iraq safe, bombing Afghanistan made Afghanistan safe and bombing Libya made Libya safe”.
But asked whether the whipping position would be a collective decision by the shadow cabinet, Mr Corbyn said: “It is the leader who decides”.
Mr Corbyn will now open the debate for Labour while Mr Benn will do the wind-up – although they will speak on opposite sides of the argument. We do not believe we can solve this problem through some extra military action alone.
Advertisement
In the message sent on Friday night, Mr Corbyn wrote: “We have all been horrified by the despicable attacks in Paris and are determined to see ISIS defeated”.
