Labour to have free vote on airstrikes in Syria

Labour MPs will not be whipped on how to vote on proposals for airstrikes against ISIS in Syria, and the party will not take an official stance on the issue. When it comes to a House of Commons debate, Jeremy Corbyn will argue against, while Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn will speak in favour of intervention. Both will make their cases from the Labour frontbench.

This follows a lengthy meeting of the Shadow Cabinet today, lasting almost two hours. Reports suggest that Corbyn had wanted a free vote but for the official line to be opposition to airstrikes, but the meeting almost unanimously settled on no party line. Had a party line been imposed, even with the free vote, Hilary Benn would not have been able to set out his position from the despatch box.

However, a senior source in the leader’s office suggested afterwards that Corbyn was in effect speaking for the Labour Party in his opposition to intervention – pointing to the members’ consultation, responses from NEC members, the views of trade unions, and the positions of Labour MPs.

At the meeting, it was agreed that Labour could not support airstrikes until the tests set out in the successful motion at Labour conference had been met, although there is disagreement about whether they have been. It is Corbyn’s view that the UN Security Council resolution does not meet the “clear and unambiguous” support for action specified the motion.

A spokesperson for Corbyn said:

“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.  

“The Shadow Cabinet 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. 

“Shadow Cabinet members agreed to call David Cameron to account on the unanswered questions raised by his case for bombing: including how it would accelerate a negotiated settlement of the Syrian civil war; what ground troops would take territory evacuated by ISIS; military co-ordination and strategy; the refugee crisis and the imperative to cut-off of supplies to ISIS.”

Figures around Corbyn suggest that if a two-day debate is held, as they would prefer, it should take place at some point next week, avoiding a clash with this Thursday Oldham West and Royton by-election.

In the aftermath of the Shadow Cabinet meeting, rumours on social media have suggested that Hilary Benn and chief whip Rosie Winterton have resigned from the Shadow Cabinet. LabourList has confirmed that neither of these rumours are true.