Conservative minister Matt Hancock says the real choice is whether we take on IS now, in their "heartlands", or "whether we wait, and take them on on the streets of Britain later". We need to act now, he adds.

On Question Time, the panellists are asked whether bombing so-called Islamic State will make a difference. Ex-London mayor Ken Livingstone, recently appointed to Labour's defence review, is sceptical. He says countries like China and India have to be brought on side first.

Former London mayor Ken Livingstone has said he suspects Labour MPs will be given a free vote on bombing Syria.

Speaking on BBC Question Time he said: "You can't force people to vote to kill other people or not to vote to kill them.

"This must be a matter in which people have the freedom to express their own views."

Pressed on whether there would be a free vote Mr Livingstone, recently appointed on to Labour's defence review team, said: "I can't promise. I suspect it will be."

A decision is expected on Monday.

You can watch Question Time on the live coverage tab above from 22:40 BST.

David Cameron has said there will not be a Commons vote on air strikes in Syria unless there is a clear majority for action, saying a government defeat would "hand a publicity coup" to so-called Islamic State.

Following the Paris attacks earlier this month, some MPs' minds are said to have changed - so where do the parties stand?

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Laura Kuenssberg
BBC political editor

Tonight in Westminster, political battle is being waged on two fronts.

David Cameron is engaged in what seems to be an increasingly successful campaign to persuade the House of Commons to expand British military air strikes into Syria.

He gave more details of what had been billed as a "comprehensive plan", not just for bombs to fall on the so-called Islamic State's stronghold in Syria, but a billion pounds for reconstruction; a perhaps optimistic assessment that there are 70,000 moderate forces on the ground with whom we could work; and an increasing confidence that the time is right to join America, France and even Russia in air strikes.

But the government is reliant on some support from the Labour Party to get its way. And Jeremy Corbyn's party is embroiled in an enormous row of its own tonight.

Read the rest of Laura's blog

Channel 4

Shadow international development secretary Diane Abbott told Channel 4 News Thursday's shadow cabinet meeting had been "lively".

She said 70% of Labour members were against air strikes, but that some MPs "seem to have been persuaded by David Cameron".

After "a weekend's reflection", she predicted, these MPs would "see things differently".

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has written to his MPs saying he cannot back UK air strikes in Syria - prompting a warning of shadow cabinet resignations.

Mr Corbyn rejected David Cameron's claim that targeting so-called Islamic State would make Britain safer.

His intervention - which puts him at odds with a number of his MPs - was criticised by a shadow cabinet member.

The frontbencher said there would be resignations if Mr Corbyn ordered the shadow cabinet to back his stance.

"There will be resignations among senior members of the shadow cabinet over this," the shadow cabinet member told BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith.

He said Mr Corbyn's letter had led to a breakdown of trust within the shadow cabinet, which had not been consulted before it was sent.

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A Downing Street source says:

Jonathan Marcus
BBC Diplomatic and defence correspondent

Image source, AFP

The world has changed dramatically since August 2013 when the British government last tried to win parliamentary approval to conduct bombing operations in Syria.

Then it was a question of striking at President Assad's forces as punishment for his use of chemical weapons. In the event the government lost the vote and no bombing occurred.

Since then the Islamic State organisation has emerged, controlling what it describes as a caliphate, encompassing territory in both Iraq and Syria.

IS has also demonstrated its ability to carry out or inspire attacks against tourists in Tunisia, against a Russian airliner over Egypt, and against a variety of targets on the streets of Paris.

More here.