Tories accused of playing political games over Syria as Labour splits denied

Labour insiders are fuming at the accusations that there is a split between Jeremy Corbyn and Hilary Benn over Syria. Reports this morning suggested that the leader’s office had failed to inform Shadow Foreign Secretary Benn that he was invited to a Downing St security briefing on Syria.

Both Corbyn and Benn’s team deny a breakdown in communication, and sources claim that it has come from the Tories’ playing political games with the issue. They say that the email inviting Corbyn and Benn to Downing St was only sent to the leader’s office last night after they had received media enquiries about it. They also say the time they were offered for the briefing was between 11.30 and 1 today – meaning it would clash with PMQs and the Autumn Statement.

The story that Corbyn’s office did not Benn about the briefing appears to originated with Tory sources before the leader’s team themselves had knowledge of the briefing. Labour are unhappy that the Conservatives appear to be using a topic as serious as military intervention to talk up a false story of party splits. One source told LabourList that the feeling was that the Tories’ behaviour has been “absolutely disgraceful”.