“Our first priority must be the security of Britain and the safety of the British people”.
Advertisement
Most of its 28 members spoke in favour of airstrikes.
“So they might do what they believe to be right but I don’t think they’re going to go on and try to overthrow Jeremy Corbyn because he’ll just be re-elected if they want another election”.
According to media reports, half of the shadow cabinet supports the airstrikes in Syria and agree with Cameron’s arguments that the U.K.’s security is under threat by the Islamic State group.
One shadow minister, Emily Thornberry, said there was a “brutally honest” debate within the party and some Labour MPs have called on Corbyn to resign.
War-fatigued United Kingdom citizens have been hesitant to increase military action in the Middle East.
But this “lit the blue touch-paper” for many frontbenchers, who felt it was a betrayal of an agreed position on keeping silent and a clear attempt to mobilise the grassroots to pressure their MPs to vote against military action.
JOHN McDONNELL made a public appeal for calm within the Labour Party yesterday after Blairite MPs stirred up a damaging public spat over Syria.
James Schneider, a spokesman for the group, said: “Momentum arises out of Corbyn’s leadership campaign, which decisively won the biggest mandate in any Labour leadership election on the basis of three pillars – a new politics, a new economics and a new relationship with the world”.
Her intervention came as the rift between Mr Corbyn and the majority of his shadow cabinet spilled out into the open after the Labour leader said the Prime Minister had failed to make a “convincing case” for further military intervention against IS.
Labour leftwinger Paul Flynn, another opponent of airstrikes, described the atmosphere within the party as “poisonous”.
However, there was no disguising the anger of critics on the Labour back benches, with former minister John Spellar denouncing Mr Corbyn’s behaviour as “unacceptable”.
Mr Benn suggested that a free vote may be the only way forward.
Lawmakers are scheduled to vote on the airstrikes in Syria next month.
“I can only call on all British members of parliament, in solidarity with France but, above all, conscious of the fight against terrorism, to approve this intervention”.
“So I am writing to consult you on what you think Britain should do”.
“The shadow cabinet will continue its discussions on Monday and it may be that that is where we end up”, he said.
The leader of the Labour Party, meanwhile, wrote in a letter that he can not support the action.
Amid the growing crisis, Mr Corbyn has pulled out of a planned visit to campaign in the Oldham West by-election in order to deal with the situation.
Advertisement
There had been suggestions that some senior Labour figures may feel they have no option other than to resign from the Shadow Cabinet.
