UK Labour Party 'offered free vote' on Syria strikes

11/30/2015 12:22:59 PM

(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) Britain’s Labour Party will oppose airstrikes in Syria but offer lawmakers a free vote on the issue according to local media reports Monday.

Jeremy Corbyn the leader of the main opposition has decided his party’s official policy will be to oppose British military action against Daesh in Syria The Guardian newspaper said.

However he will not order Labour’s 231 MPs to follow the party line allowing them to vote according to their consciences on the issue.

Prime Minister David Cameron wants his country to launch airstrikes on Daesh targets in Syria as it already does in Iraq but needs parliament’s approval. His Conservative Party has a slim majority of 12 seats in the House of Commons so even a minor rebellion among Conservative lawmakers could see the proposal defeated making the support of opposition lawmakers vital.

In a letter written Monday Corbyn told Cameron lawmakers needed two full days to debate the issue.

"It is incumbent on us all to ensure the country feels there has been the fullest parliamentary discussion of what you have rightly described as a highly complex situation"he said.

Labour has made no official announcement on its position.

A meeting of the senior Labour lawmakers was still underway Monday afternoon.

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