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Labour grassroots members demand U.N. backing for Syria air strikes

BRIGHTON, England (Reuters) - Britain's Labour lawmakers should not support air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria without United Nations authorisation, party members voted on Wednesday. Labour's grassroots members voted at the party's annual conference in favour of making any support for the government's push to extend the air strikes conditional on several points, including "clear and unambiguous authorisation". The vote is not binding on lawmakers, many of whom favour extending air strikes. It underlines the divisions within the party, whose new leader Jeremy Corbyn has said he opposes sending more bombs into Syria to end the more than four-year conflict, but who has promised to "listen to everyone" in his party. Prime Minister David Cameron has said he sees a strong case for extending British air strikes to Syria from Iraq, but wants to make sure he has Labour's support before he seeks parliamentary approval. He has not set a date for a vote. "I want to build the international alliance for taking action against ISIL (Islamic State)," Cameron told Sky News. "But we have to be clear, U.N. security council resolutions have been blocked time after time by Russia so I feel Labour are in danger of opting out of what is a vital debate for the safety of our world." However, the verdict of the Labour grass-root members might be of limited significance after senior Corbyn ally John McDonnell said on Tuesday that Labour lawmakers should vote in parliament according to their conscience. A 'free vote' by Labour lawmakers could give Cameron, whose attempts to win approval for military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2013 were blocked by Labour, the support he needs to join other members of the U.S.-led coalition in attacking targets in Syria. (Reporting by William James, Kylie MacLellan and Michael Holden; editing by Elizabeth Piper and Kate Holton)