Labour To Discuss Policy On Syria Airstrikes

Disagreements within Labour's top tier could be exposed today as the party conference discusses its policy on extending airstrikes against Islamic State.

The Unite union has tabled an emergency motion calling on delegates to back strict conditions before the party agrees to military intervention in Syria, including "clear and unambiguous" authorisation from the UN.

Jeremy Corbyn told Sky News: "We have a very clear voice for wanting peace in Syria and that's what we’ve put forward today.

"We've put forward a policy and the idea is to bring about a diplomatic solution through the UN and we welcome that Obama and Putin at least met to bring that about, and today I think that situation has gone a bit further forward, so it's good news really."

:: Jeremy Corbyn will be on Sunrise on Sky News at 7.30am on Wednesday.

At the moment the Government has only authorised airstrikes in Iraq, while France and the US have also been bombing targets in Syria.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon argues it is inconsistent to limit the UK's operations to a border which IS does not recognise, when the group's centre of operations has been established in Raqqa.

The Government could call a Commons' vote on whether to increase the scope of its airstrikes.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that the UK would continue to bomb Islamic State targets for as long as it takes to defeat the extremist group.

In 2013, the Government lost a vote on targeting the forces of President Assad after a suspected chemical weapons attack on the outskirts of Damascus.

Mr Corbyn told delegates at the conference that "the answer to this tragic and dreadful conflict cannot be found in dropping a few more bombs".

But his shadow foreign secretary, Hilary Benn, could countenance bombing targets in Syria, albeit with UN backing as part of a renewed diplomatic and humanitarian push.

"My view is that what ISIL is doing in Iraq is inflicting great horror on people," he said.

"There's a growing number of countries that are now participating in action and I think events are moving very fast, particularly in New York.

"It may well be that we are now able to get agreement in the Security Council on action to deal with ISIL."

There has been talk at the UN General Assembly of a "grand alliance" to lever Syria's president from power in order to confront the threat from Islamic State.

A Commons' vote could expose the depth of the division within Labour's parliamentary party.