Jeremy Corbyn urged to give MPs free vote on air strikes

UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is facing intense pressure to give his MPs a free vote on air strikes in Syria, with his shadow cabinet openly split on whether to back David Cameron’s call for military action.

Deputy leader Tom Watson became the latest leading figure to speak out in support of bombing Islamic State (IS) in its Syrian heartland — putting him directly at odds with his party leader.

Senior figures on both sides played down the prospect of mass resignations if the shadow cabinet does not agree to give MPs a vote when it meets on Monday — something Corbyn has previously rejected.

However, with more than half his top team now against him on the issue, the Labour leader may have little choice but to agree if he wants to stave off a full-scale mutiny.

While allies of Corbyn appealed for calm within the Labour ranks, critics on the backbenches openly voiced their contempt for his “weak” leadership and urged him to step down.

Even some sympathetic MPs admitted that Corbyn would be unable to carry on if it became clear that he was a “liability” to the party’s chances at the next election.

The row was triggered by Corbyn’s decision on Thursday to release a letter saying he could not support RAF air strikes in Syria — seen by some MPs as an attempt to pre-empt Monday’s meeting.

However, Watson backed shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn, who said there was a “compelling” case for extending RAF airstrikes, currently restricted to Iraq, into Syria.

“I think there is an imminent terrorist threat being directed from Syria,” Watson told the BBC.

“Hilary Benn gave a very clear explanation that he thinks there is an imminent security threat to the UK and I agree with him on this.”

With allies of Corbyn warning that critics would face the wrath of grassroots activists unless they fell into line, Watson made clear he had no intention of resigning — pointing out that he also had been directly elected by party members.

“I am the deputy leader of the Labour Party with a mandate,” he said.

Benn also said he intended to carry on in the shadow cabinet and suggested that a free vote may be the only way out of the impasse.