Number 10: Miliband 'giving succour' to Assad regime

Downing Street has accused Labour leader Ed Miliband of helping President Assad's cause after he effectively blocked an early Commons vote on military action in Syria, the Guardian reported.

A Downing Street spokesman is reported to have said: "The fact is that a lot of the arguments over this could give succour to the [Assad] regime."

Labour replied: "That is frankly insulting. Language like that demeans Downing Street."