UK Can't Stand By On IS Murder, Says Hammond

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Britain cannot stand by and allow Islamic State extremists to murder thousands of people, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has told Sky News ahead of a crucial vote by MPs on airstrikes.

He insisted raids by RAF planes would be based on intelligence to minimise civilian casualties and "target the bad guys".

He was speaking as David Cameron was poised to win support from MPs for airstrikes in Iraq which senior ministers have warned could last up to three years.

Asked on Sky News over the implications for UK hostages held by IS of military action, Mr Hammond said he understood the anguish of the families, but added: "We have seen how ISIL behaves. We have seen of what they are capable of doing."

David Cameron says airstrikes will only target Iraq, not Syria

He went on: "We cannot stand by as they murder thousands of people and displace millions of people.

"We have to respond to that challenge."

He also said future airstrikes in Syria were possible, but that would require a further vote by MPs.

The widow of David Haines, who was beheaded on film by his captors, has backed targeted British airstrikes.

The UK strikes would follow raids by US planes in Syria and Iraq

Dragana Prodanovic Haines said: "The recent tragic event has changed my life as well as the lives and perception of most free thinking people around the world.

"I do support British military air strikes but limited to distinctive targets. No changes in such societies can be enforced, they have to come from within."

Operations could begin within hours of a vote in the Commons which is expected to be overwhelmingly in favour of bombing raids.

Desperate to avoid a repeat of the Commons defeat over airstrikes against Syria last year, the PM is proposing a cautiously-worded motion intended to win support from all parties.

"This motion does not endorse UK airstrikes in Syria as part of this campaign, and any proposal to do so would be subject to a separate vote in Parliament," it states.

And it adds: "Her Majesty's Government will not deploy UK troops in ground combat operations."

Mr Cameron goes into the debate with an opinion poll suggesting voters strongly back airstrikes in Iraq, but would also support attacks against Syria.

A YouGov survey for The Sun shows the largest support yet for RAF airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq, with 57% now in favour and just 24% against.

But it also suggests voters support bombing raids against IS in Syria by 51% to 26%, even though Mr Cameron has already ruled this out for now.

The poll findings are a complete turnaround from 13 months ago, when voters opposed airstrikes on Syria's President Bashar al Assad by two-to-one.

The Cabinet met for 90 minutes yesterday and "unanimously" backed airstrikes in Iraq.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon suggested the campaign against IS could be a "long haul" of "two to three years".

"But we have to face up to this. This kind of extremism has been spreading, taking root in democracies," he told Parliament's House magazine.

After the Cabinet meeting, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the Government was confident Parliament would approve the Government's motion and stressed that Britain's role would currently be limited to airstrikes in Iraq.

"There will be a ground operation. It's just that we will not be providing ground combat troops," Mr Hammond said.

"If we were to put large numbers of Western troops into Iraq now that would simply feed ISIL's narrative.

"If ground forces are needed they have to come from regional countries - primarily from Iraq itself."

Asked whether the action could be extended into Syria at a later stage, Mr Hammond replied: "We haven't ruled out anything for the future."

Although the Labour leader Ed Miliband has said his MPs will support the Government in the vote, some anti-war left-wing MPs are expected to oppose military action.

Labour's John McDonell told Sky News: "I think our intervention makes it worse.

"It has to be resolved regionally."

And fellow Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn has handed in a petition at 10 Downing Street opposing bombing raids.

But some Conservative MPs want the Government to go further and deploy raids on Syria and commit troops.

Former defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth said: "If you don't attack their bases in Syria, then clearly you are not addressing it.

"One will be left with the taste in the mouth that we are leaving it to the Americans to do the dirty end of the job."

:: The Commons debate will begin at 10.30am with the vote expected at around 5pm. Watch on Sky News Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

:: Live coverage will also available on sky.com/news and Sky News for iPad and on your mobile phone.

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