Corbyn faces shadow cabinet revolt over Syria air strikes

Senior Labour MPs have called for Jeremy Corbyn to resign as tensions within the party rise over whether Britain should join airstrikes on Syria.

It comes after the party leader told MPs in a letter that he could not support military intervention against the so-called Islamic State in the country, sparking a furious backlash from shadow cabinet members who had not yet agreed their position on the matter.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, former minister John Spellar said Mr Corbyn's behaviour over the vote had been "unacceptable".

Another former minister, Fiona Mactaggart, echoed his sentiments - despite saying she was not convinced by the case for bombing either. Speaking to BBC Radio Berkshire, she said:

David Cameron has urged Labour MPs to back plans for the RAF to join airstrikes in Syria, saying they should "do the right thing" and "vote on the basis of the arguments".

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sparked a furious backlash from MPs when he announced that he could not support military intervention, despite the shadow cabinet not having agreed a position on the issue.

Frontbenchers including shadow education secretary Emily Thornberry have warned that Corbyn faces a rebellion if he tries to whip MPs into voting with him.

Speaking in Malta ahead of a Commonwealth summit, the Prime Minister encouraged wavering MPs to support his motion, saying he believed there was a "compelling case" to take "effective action" in Syria.

Read: David Cameron makes the case for bombing IS in Syria

Shadow foreign minister Hilary Benn has said he will not resign from Labour's front bench - despite backing airstrikes in Syria, opposing the position taken by leader Jeremy Corbyn.

It comes after Mr Corbyn provoked a backlash from Labour MPs by saying he could not support the military action, despite the shadow cabinet not reaching an agreed position.

Benn spoke to BBC R4's Today programme this morning, after admitting yesterday there was a "compelling" case for joining coalition airstrikes against the so-called Islamic State militant group in Syria.

There will be a rebellion within Labour if party leaders try to whip a vote on the issue of Syria, a shadow minister has admitted.

MP Emily Thornberry said there was "brutally honest" debate among MPs at the moment, as they ask their constituents what they believe should happen.

It comes after leader Jeremy Corbyn sparked a furious backlash after revealing he could not back RAF air strikes against so-called Islamic State in Syria, before the shadow cabinet had reached an agreed position on the issue.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Ms Thornberry said:

Jeremy Corbyn has cancelled a trip to Oldham to campaign in a by-election amid a shadow cabinet revolt over airstrikes on Syria.

The Labour leader was due to travel to the Oldham West constituency on Friday to support Jim McMahon ahead of next week's by-election.

As recently as early on Thursday evening, Mr Corbyn tweeted that he was looking forward to the visit.

However, a spokeswoman for the Labour leader has now said: "Regrettably Jeremy Corbyn is not now visiting Oldham because matters to do with Syria mean he must return to London."

Mr Corbyn is at odds with top team after coming out and saying he could not back RAF air strikes against so-called Islamic State in Syria before the shadow cabinet had reached an agreed position on the issue.

• Carl Dinnen: Labour's senior ranks in chaos as Jeremy Corbyn fights against his shadow cabinet

Diane Abbott, the shadow international development secretary, has said that she does not believe that the prime minister has made a strong case for airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Syria.

She told ITV News that was not convinced that David Cameron had shown that military action in the war-torn country would make Britain safer.

The Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington said it had been known for months that some Labour MPs supported airstrikes, but that the question was how the majority of MPs would vote when they saw the evidence.

A shadow minister has told ITV News members of Jeremy Corbyn's front bench team will quit after he surprised them by sending a letter to Labour MPs detailing his personal opposition to the PM's plans for airstrikes in Syria.

A Labour source also told ITV News Deputy Political Editor Chris Ship shadow ministers Diane Abbott and Lucy Powell had argued at the meeting of the shadow cabinet to discuss David Cameron's military proposals.

• Jeremy Corbyn wants to whip Labour MPs into opposing PM plan