As Cameron calls for war in Syria, Corbyn gets civil war in Shadow Cabinet

DAVID Cameron yesterday laid out his plans to extend RAF jet and drone strikes to IS terrorists in Syria  and triggered a Labour meltdown.

Ready to strike ... RAF Tornado jets

Revealing a new intelligence warning, the PM told the Commons that MI5 has discovered the UK is now in “the top tier” of the jihadists’ targets. He said: “Throughout our history, the UK has stood up to defend our values and our way of life. We can and we must do so again.”

Plan of attack ... David Cameron during Commons debate

The powerful appeal won round dozens of Labour MPs as well as a series of Tory doubters, giving him a clear majority to win a crunch vote next week.

Jeremy Corbyn says there's no need to bomb IS

But it also sparked an extraordinary revolt against the hard-left Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn by most of his top team, plunging the party into turmoil.

During a stormy Shadow Cabinet meeting after the PM’s special Commons statement, it emerged as many as 25 of its 30 members declared they were ready to back the Tory leader.

Mr Corbyn was supported by just four of his Shadow Ministers including close friend Diane Abbott, left-wing conspiracy theorist Jon Trickett and the discredited Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell.Ms Abbott arrived late, admitting she had not been present for the PM’s statement. When she butted in with questions, normally placid Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn snapped and pointed out if she had been there she would know the answers.

The atmosphere was so tense by the end one shadow minister said: “This is a war and I’m not talking about Syria”. Mr Benn publicly declared there was now a “clear and compelling” case for airstrikes.
Mr Corbyn promised the Shadow Cabinet they would meet again on Monday and agree a “collective decision” on what to do.

But just two hours later he issued a letter to all Labour MPs saying he cannot support Mr Cameron’s plan because it “undermines our national security”.

When told by The Sun, one Shadow Cabinet member said: “F*** me”.
Another said: “Is this what Corbyn’s straight-talking honest politics is about, deceiving his own Shadow Cabinet? How are we supposed to work with him now?” Downing Street will now call a Commons vote next week.

Last night Mr Cameron pledged £5million to set up a Commonwealth counter-extremism unit as he arrived at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Malta.