Cameron calls for air strikes against Islamic State in Syria

David Cameron was calm, polite and conciliatory in the House of Commons but his purpose could not have been more deadly: to persuade MPs to approve British air strikes against Islamic State in Syria.

The prime minister stayed for two hours, answering more than 100 questions about the war he is proposing.

The case was laid out in Mr Cameron’s 36-page, written response to a report by the foreign affairs committee, which had identified a number of unanswered questions about the legality, military usefulness and political wisdom of bombing in Syria. He was confident about the politics, arguing that since Britain was already a target for IS, the country would be safer if it sought to weaken the terrorist group.

Peace settlement

He stressed the diplomatic context, with talks in Vienna involving

Russia

,

Iran

and

Saudi Arabia

, as well as the western powers, aimed at securing a peace settlement in Syria. And he claimed that military action in Syria would be legal under international law on the grounds of self-defence.

“The right to self-defence may be exercised individually where it is necessary to the UK’s own defence, and collectively in the defence of our friends and allies. This reflects the multi-faceted and evolving threat that Isil poses, and the response that is required to bring that threat to an effective end,” he said.

The UK is currently responsible for only a small fraction of airstrikes on IS positions in Iraq and the foreign affairs committee had questioned how much it would really add to the war effort in Syria.

Superior technology

Mr

Cameron

claimed the RAF’s superior technology meant missiles were targeted with greater precision and would reduce civilian casualties in allied airstrikes.

The prime minister was on the shakiest ground when addressing the question of who, if not British forces, would fight IS in Syria. Currently, the Syrian army of Bashar al-Assad is the biggest ground force fighting IS in Syria, along with Kurdish forces in a few enclaves. Mr Cameron is not yet ready to make common cause with Mr Assad, so his hopes rest on the flimsy reed of the "moderate" opposition forces of the Free Syrian Army.

There is almost certainly a majority of Conservative MPs in favour of bombing in Syria. Mr Cameron insists, however, that he will only call a vote if he is confident of a "clear majority" of support. With the Liberal Democrats and SNP opposed, Mr Cameron needs Labour MPs. A meeting of the shadow cabinet postponed until Monday a decision, but most Labour frontbenchers want to back Mr Cameron.

Jeremy Corbyn is almost certain to oppose the airstrikes but to save face may have to allow MPs a free vote.