The Daily Politics

Former Labour leadership candidate Mary Creagh has said she will support the extension of British air strikes to Syria, telling the Daily Politics: “We have a duty to act in the Middle East… carrying on with business as usual is not the answer.” 

Asked why bombing was the solution to Syria's problems, the Wakefield MP said it would be "one part of a full, political, diplomatic framework”, and that it didn’t make sense to stop bombing at “a border that Isil does not recognise”.

Michael Fallon addresses the estimate of 70,000 troops on the ground in Syria who could potentially take the fight to IS. He says this figure has been supported by academics studying the conflict over the past few years, and adds that it deliberately excludes those "on the extreme side of this fight".

But he acknowledges they are "spread through Syria", while Lieutenant General Gordon Messenger, deputy chief of the defence staff (operations), adds that they're not a "coherent force".

But he says it'd be wrong to characterise them as "a rag-tag army", saying they have achieved "considerable" territorial preservation in the north and south of Syria considerable despite "enormous pressure".

The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn opposes UK bombing of IS targets in Syria, but quite a few members of his shadow cabinet disagree. Here's his message to them:

Lieutenant General Messenger, who is on the panel being questioned by the Defence Committee, is asked about the estimated size of IS' fighting force. Asked if he's confident of the figure of 20,000-30,000 fighters, he says: "No, I think that comes with considerable conditionality."

Pressed for greater detail on the proposed air strikes, the defence secretary say the text of the Commons motion will be made available "very shortly". It will ask for MPs' permission "to enable us to strike against Isil in Syria", he says - but he says it is not to intervene in the Syrian civil war.

Asked what has changed for the government to bring forward a case for extending the UK's bombing to Syria, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon says the nature of the campaign against IS has begun to change because of the "success" in Iraq, but also the threat from the extremist group has "intensified".

He also highlights the recent UN resolution on tackling IS, and the "much more promising signs now of a widespread agreement on a different future for Syria".

After further questioning, Mr Fallon says the UK has had "direct requests" from France to come to its aid following the Paris attacks.

Continuing to set out the case for UK to extend its bombing campagin against IS (also referred to as Isil/Isis/Daesh) in Iraq to Syria, the defence secretary tells MPs:

Michael Fallon tells the committee there is an "urgent need" for Britain to join the fight against IS in Syria "for our own security and to provide vital support for our allies". He adds that it doesn't mean the UK will compromise its "rigorous rules of engagement or our careful selection of targets".

Michael Fallon sets out the case for extending UK air strikes from Iraq to Syria. He says the government is proposing the action because the Islamic State group "is a very real threat to us here in Britain". 

To those who say military intervention will increase the likelihood of a terrorist attack in the UK, he says the UK is "already a target and we are already in this fight", since Parliament approved air strikes against IS targets in Iraq in 2014.

Mr Fallon says Syria is where IS is headquartered and where it plots to attack the UK and "create terror" elsewhere in Europe. 

Image source, Getty Images

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon is in front of the Defence Committee very shortly, for questioning on the defence spending and the strategic defence and security review set out by the prime minister last week. But in light of recent events he'll be taking questions on Syria for the first part, so stay with us as we bring you the latest lines.

The Daily Politics

On Tuesday's programme, we'll discuss the prospect of air strikes in Syria with Labour's Mary Creagh, the future of the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn with the FBU's Matt Wrack and a deal to try and stem the flow of migrants coming to Europe through Turkey with Douglas Carswell.

Andrew Neil will also be joined by the former Conservative Cabinet Minister, Peter Lilley to discuss the reduction in subsidies available for renewable energy. 

And Adam Flemming has been looking at the Oldham West and Royton by-election ahead of Thursday's vote. We'll discuss with political academic Rob Ford. 

Joining us for the duration of the programme is Green MP Caroline Lucas.

We're live on BBC Two at noon. You can also watch using the live coverage tab above. 

It is looking increasing likely that Liberal Democrat MPs will back the government in supporting the extension of air strikes to include Syria.

It's understood the group of 8 MPs will meet later today to discuss the wording of the motion, but sources indicate they are minded to back the prime minister. 

Victoria Derbyshire

Ken Livingstone says he's not defending or apologising for the London suicide bombers. He says he tightened security in London to prevent against attacks, denounced what they did on the day, and met victims of the bombing and "shared their grief".

Shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray calls Ken Livingstone an “apologist for terrorism”.

Victoria Derbyshire

Shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray says he was "appalled" by Ken Livingstone's comments, and invites him to apologise. He, too, calls for the former London mayor to step down as chairman of Labour's defence review.

Mr Livingstone says he won't apologise "for telling the truth", maintaining that the suicide bombers acted because of the UK's intervention in Iraq.

Victoria Derbyshire

Labour MP Angela Smith, also on the programme, says Ken Livingstone's comments were "entirely unacceptable" and says that he is "unfit" to co-chair Labour's defence review. He should resign, she adds.