The Andrew Marr Show

Labour is having a "discussion" on whether to back air strikes, Mr Corbyn says. On his decision to write to MPs setting out his view before shadow cabinet talks had finished, he reminds Andrew Marr of the size of his mandate, and says he had been asked to set out his views. He says a lot of Labour MPs have yet to make up their minds.

The Andrew Marr Show

Jeremy Corbyn sets out the reasons he is opposing Syria air strikes to Andrew Marr. "I do not think it will solve the problem that is there", he says. He warns the ground forces of the Free Syrian Arms would be "hundreds of miles away" from the air strike targets, and are focused on fighting Syria's President Assad.

The Andrew Marr Show

Have the SNP made up their minds to oppose air strikes, Stewart Hosie is asked.

"We have listened, we are still listening, we have asked questions", he says. He adds:

The Andrew Marr Show

First up on the Marr show is the SNP's deputy leader Stewart Hosie. His party has still not had answers to its two key questions on air strikes - a specific UN resolution and the "efficacy of the bombing", he says.

The SNP has a sizeable voting block at Westminster, with 54 MPs.

In this morning's Sunday Telegraph, Mr Fallon warns Paris-style attacks could "easily" happen in UK cities such as London, Manchester or Glasgow.

He stepped up efforts to win MPs' backing for air strikes against Islamic State (IS) fighters in Syria.

In the Sunday Telegraph interview,, external he said IS could only be beaten by force.

But he admitted it would be harder to get the support of the Commons if Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn ordered his MPs to vote against air strikes.

Good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage of Sunday's politics. It's shaping up to be a busy morning, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Defence Secretary Michael Fallon both to be interviewed by Andrew Marr. Will Mr Corbyn force his MPs to back him on opposing air strikes in Syria? Has the government persuaded enough MPs to back its plans for intervention over the weekend? We'll know more very soon.

Here's your round-up of the key political happenings today:

• The Labour Party row over air strikes in Syria continued. Senior shadow cabinet members sought to diffuse the situation after some ministers threatened to resign. Yesterday evening Mr Corbyn wrote a letter outlining his reasons for not supporting air strikes in Syria which infuriated some Labour MPs. A decision on whether Labour will get a free vote will be made on Monday. 
• There is speculation a vote on air strikes could be held next week, with Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond saying there was "momentum" for action.

• Three backbench Labour MPs - Paul Flynn, Fiona Mactaggart and John Spellar - questioned Mr Corbyn's leadership ability but stopped short of calling for him to resign.

• The Fire Brigade Union (FBU) have re-affliated with the Labour party saying they felt "reinvigorated" after Jeremy Corbyn was elected as leader. They left the Labour fold over the party's drift to the right under Tony Blair.

• Labour's National Executive Committee has lifted the suspension on Andrew Fisher, a key aide to Jeremy Corbyn,but warned him over his conduct after he backed a Class War candidate at the general election.

• Some Labour MPs were angry at the news saying there was "one rule for members and one rule for those who work for the party leader".

• David Cameron has been in Malta today attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm). He continues to urge MPs to vote for the "compelling" case for action in Syria.

• The Goddard inquiry - which is investigating the handling of child sex abuse allegations - announced it would be looking into cases linked to Westminster including current and former MPs.

You can watch the best clips from Thursday and Friday via the Key Video tab above and scroll down to see how events unfolded.

There are reports Jeremy Corbyn met Julius Malema - a controversial figure and leader of South Africa's Economic Freedom Fighters (see earlier entry).

Labour sources say the EFF asked for a meeting but it did not happen.

James Landale
Deputy political editor

Image source, Getty Images

If you want to know who is going to win the Oldham West and Royton by-election next Thursday, don't listen to the bookies or people like me. Instead consult the weather forecast.

For the outcome of this poll will most likely be determined by which voters are prepared to turn out on a dank, dark December day.

For Labour, this seat should be as safe as Oldham's red-bricked terraced houses. The constituency has been Labour for most of its existence. The late Michael Meacher bequeathed a majority of more than 14,000 after a 45-year incumbency.

The party's candidate is a dynamic young council leader with a strong power base and a moderate background. "He's definitely not a Maoist," one senior UKIP figure told me with a sigh.

And yet Labour MPs campaigning on the doorstep are nervous.

Read James' blog in full

Labour MP Emily Thornberry says a "complete strategy" is needed before bombing Syria in order to avoid creating a vacuum.

She says David Cameron's "comprehensive" seven point plan is "a recipe for chaos" adding that going in to the Middle East without a proper plan makes us "less safe". 

"These concerns are cross party" she says, pointing to the Tory rebels who also remain unconvinced by the PM's arguments. 

She says "I probably, today, have more in common with Julian Lewis, who is a Tory, than I do with Tom Watson in relation to this issue."