Summary

  • MPs approve UK military intervention in Iraq against Islamic State (IS) by 524 to 43 votes

  • David Cameron told the Commons that IS poses a threat to the "streets of Britain" and the UK has a "duty" to confront it militarily

  • Motion states that IS is threat to UK directly, that government of Iraq has requested assistance and that authorisation does not extend to action in Syria

  1. Goodbyepublished at 18:23 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    That wraps up our live page for today.

    MPs have voted to back British participation in air strikes against Islamic State extremists in Iraq.

    After a seven-hour debate, MPs voted for military action by 524 votes to 43.

    The Conservatives, Lib Dems and Labour leaderships all backed air strikes although some MPs expressed concerns about where it would lead and the prospect of future engagement in Syria.

    You can find out more about the conflict in Iraq and the Islamic State here.

  2. BBC's Norman Smithpublished at 18:09 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    BBC's Norman Smith tweets, external: It's been confirmed that Labour MP Ian McKenzie - aide to shadow defence secretary - has been sacked for not backing air strikes in #iraq

  3. Analysispublished at 18:05 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    Nick Robinson
    Political editor

    RAF strikes against IS forces in Iraq are likely to begin this weekend. In theory, they could begin as early as this evening but Saturday night looks more likely if military action is to be avoided on the Muslim holy day.

    David Cameron has said this action will be characterised more by "patience and persistence" than "shock and awe". I understand that he is signalling that early strikes may not be followed by daily sorties.

    The attacks will not be focussed on the fixed targets of a state - military bases, airfields, bridges etc - but, instead, on the moving targets of a "rebel" force making military advances.

  4. No 'shock and awe'published at 18:04 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    Defence Secretary Michael Fallon tells BBC News people should not expect "immediate shock and awe" as he plays down the prospect of imminent air strikes.

    He stresses that it is going to be a "long campaign", and says it is important that parliament has given its authority for action. The defence secretary says the government would come back to the Commons to seek support for extending air strikes into Syria, if necessary - but stresses that the government does reserve the right to authorise urgent action in an emergency situation.

    Defence Secretary Michael Fallon
  5. Ben Rhodespublished at 17:45 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    Ben Rhodes, the White House's deputy national security adviser for strategic communications, tweets, external: US is proud to have the United Kingdom, Denmark and Belgium joining a growing coalition taking action against ISIL.

  6. Postpublished at 17:43 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    Pancha Chandra in Belgium:

    Vital parliamentary support from British MPs has tipped the balance in favour of a solid front against ISIS. This is a tactical live chess game where murderous extremists are hounding innocent men, women and children. However, superior air power is not sufficient; ground troops are necessary to rout the merciless ISIS terrorists.

  7. Labour figurespublished at 17:41 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    BBC's Norman Smith adds that Labour sources say about 24 of their MPs voted against air strikes.

  8. Unease?published at 17:38 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith says it looks as though there were a significant number of abstentions in the vote, suggesting "a lot of unease" among MPs.

  9. Mark Recklesspublished at 17:36 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    One of the Conservative rebels, Mark Reckless, tweets, external: I voted against bombing ISIL in Iraq. A year ago we were asked to bomb other side in Syria +what good did 557 MPs voting to attack Libya do?

  10. Sam Macrorypublished at 17:33 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    Editor of Total Politics magazine Sam Macrory tweets, external: A bad week gets worse for Ed as frontbencher Rushanara Ali quits the front bench over Iraq vote. Tory conference can't come quickly enough.

  11. Julian Huppertpublished at 17:32 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    Lib Dem MP Julian Huppert ‏tweets, external: Military Intervention in Iraq approved by 524-43. Even though I voted against, I hope it will work out better than I fear! #fb

  12. 'Right thing'published at 17:30 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    However, Conservative MP Dominic Grieve, the government's former attorney general, maintains that the Commons has "done the right thing".

  13. Action 'disastrous'published at 17:28 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    Speaking after the vote, Labour MP John McDonnell - who voted against the motion - says military action in Iraq will be disastrous, blaming previous interventions in the country for the "rise of Isil".

  14. Vote againstpublished at 17:27 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    Conservative John Baron, speaking to BBC News, says he voted against action because "key questions" remain unanswered. He claims there is no co-ordinated plan, and adds that "kicking the door down and walking away is not the right policy".

  15. Military actionpublished at 17:26 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    Following the vote in favour of UK air strikes against IS in Iraq, the BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said RAF planes could be called into action as early as Sunday.

  16. Labour resignationpublished at 17:25 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    Rushanara Ali has resigned as Labour's shadow education spokesman so that she could abstain over the Iraq vote. She is the MP for Bethnal Green and Bow.

  17. US-led coalition newspublished at 17:23 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    As UK MPs vote in favour of the UK joining coalition efforts, Belgium is to send six F-16 fighters to join US-led coalition against Islamic State in Iraq.

  18. Majority in favourpublished at 17:21 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    MPs voted by a majority of 481 in favour of government plans to join air strikes against Islamic State (IS) in Iraq, following a six-hour debate in an emergency recall of Parliament.

    Tellers announce the result of the vote
  19. Postpublished at 17:21 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    Mark D'Arcy
    Parliamentary correspondent

    tweets, external: Point of order from John McDonnell - can the Speaker recall Parliament if further military action likely; answer, No. He has no such power

  20. Vote procedurepublished at 17:18 British Summer Time 26 September 2014

    In any Commons vote, there must be four so-called tellers, who count the votes during a division and then announce the result.

    The Speaker will then repeat the result to the House. Today, the tellers for the 'ayes' (ie those in support of the motion) were Liberal Democrat MP Mark Hunter and the Conservatives' Gavin Barwell, and for the 'noes' (ie those opposing the motion) it was Labour backbencher Jeremy Corbyn and the SNP's Pete Wishart.