MPs are voting on the main motion of the day, which would authorise attacking the Islamic State group in Syria. 

The result of the vote is expected at about 22:30 GMT.

MPs have voted against the amendment which would have blocked extending air strikes into Syria.

The result was:

Ayes - 211

Noes - 390

Majority - 179 

MPs have divided to vote on an amendment which would block air strikes in Syria.

The result of the division is expected at about 22:15 GMT.

Philip Hammond says the UK is not voting to go to war tonight, but to extend a war it is already fighting in Iraq.

He adds "Isil do represent a direct and imminent threat" to UK citizens, and asks what kind of country would we be if "we ignored the calls for help from our nearest neighbours", even as they grieved for their dead.

He adds: "Let us show what kind of country we are by endorsing the motion before us."

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond is answering the debate for the government. He acknowledges the power of Hilary Benn's speech. He says Jeremy Corbyn's objections to air strikes are "sincerely held" but "profoundly misguided."

He says he wants confirmation "as soon as possible" that the Labour Party still supports the current action in Iraq.

He argues there will "need to be a ground force in Raqqa, supported by continuing air strikes".

He says these ground forces will not come immediately, but if diplomatic progress is made on the Syrian civil war, they will be found in time. He says that the 70,000 ground troops identified by the government will contain islamists, but that "we can work with islamists" if they accept the democratic process.

Mr Hammond argues that air strikes have proved effective against Isil in Iraq.

We are expecting two votes tonight. 

The first vote at 22:00 will be on an amendment that seeks to block air strikes in Syria. If passed that amendment would block military action.

When MPs return to the House of Commons, and the Speaker announces the result, the figure for the "ayes" is the number of MPs who are against military action.  

At around 22:15, the second vote will be held. This is the main vote on the government's planned military action in Syria. The result will be announced around 22:30. In this vote the "ayes" will be those who back military action.

The government needs 321 MPs to vote in favour to win the vote.

Again addressing his own party, Hilary Benn says "we are here faced by fascists" who "hold our values in contempt".

Gesturing around the Commons chamber, he says IS believe "they are superior to every single one of us".

The shadow foreign secretary adds: "What we know about fascists is that they need to be defeated."

He sits down to applause from all sides of the House.

Addressing his own party, Labour's Hilary Benn says that President Hollande, "the leader of our sister socialist party in France" has asked for the UK's help. He says the government must "better explain" the ground forces available to act against the Islamic State group. He argues we should "commit to play our full part in rebuilding Syria" when the war is over.

Shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn sums up the debate for the opposition. He says that although he will not be voting with his leader Jeremy Corbyn, Mr Corbyn is a "good man", and not a "terrorist sympathiser" as it is claimed the prime minister described him.

Mr Benn says there is a "clear and unambiguous UN resolution" giving legal backing for action against Islamic State. He asks: "Why would we not uphold the settled will of the United Nations?"

Labour's Clive Efford will not be voting with the government, but condemns people who have been trying to "intimidate" MPs and influence their votes.

He says:

SNP MP Stephen Gethins says we should learn from the "catastrophic failure" of post-conflict planning after the Iraq war.

He says that "taking the same old route into bombing" will lead to strategic failure, and he will be voting against air strikes tonight.

Labour MP David Lammy says he will not vote for air strikes. He questions the quality of the ground forces available, and says they are likely to contain extremists. He argues that without ground forces, the strategy will not work.

He adds:

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Defence Minister and Deputy Leader of the Lords Earl Howe concludes his reply to the debate on behalf of the government. The House of Lords adjourns as debate continues in the Commons.

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"We are already under attack," says Defence Minister Earl Howe. "Thirty innocent British holidaymakers were murdered by Daesh on the beaches of Tunisia."

There is, he says, "a case for self-defence and a case for collective defence".

Addressing peers who have raised the prospect of UK troops on the ground in Syria, he tells the House that Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi "has said repeatedly that he does not want UK troops on the ground in Iraq", where the UK is already carrying out air strikes.

Earl Howe says that, alongside military action, the government will support international efforts "to bring together the Syrian parties" with the aim of achieving a transitional government.