Fury as Labour’s Owen Smith suggests IS should join peace talks

Labour leadership contender Owen Smith has been accused of being unfit for high office after he suggested Islamic State (IS) would have to be brought into peace talks to end the Syrian civil war.

Mr Smith said that “all of the actors” involved in the conflict would have to be brought into the negotiations if there was to be a successful conclusion to the conflict.

His comments sparked an outcry, with one Conservative member of the Commons Defence Committee — former army officer Johnny Mercer — saying they showed his “unfitness for leadership”.