Andy Burnham warns Cameron over Syria vote

Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham has warned David Cameron not to try to "bounce" Labour into supporting military action in Syria.

Ministers have raised the prospect of air strikes on so-called Islamic State extremists in Syria, but say this would only happen with the Commons' approval.

MPs rejected air strikes in Syria in 2013, but since backed action in Iraq.

Mr Burnham said he "wouldn't rule it out" but was "struggling" with whether action in Syria would be legal.

In an interview with the Huffington Post, he said: "The tests are quite big. There's a very large one about legality first, because it's not like the 2013 situation.

"This isn't an invitation by a democratic government to come in, is it? I'm struggling with that myself."

Big question

Last month Defence Secretary Michael Fallon told MPs a "full spectrum response" was needed to deal with the self-styled Islamic State (IS) at its source.

"We will not bring a motion to this house on which there is not some consensus," he said.

"Our position therefore remains that we would return to this house before conducting air strikes in Syria."

MPs backed air strikes in Iraq in September 2014

Mr Burnham said the legal question was "quite a big one" given the controversial invasion of Iraq under Tony Blair's Labour government.

The UK is the second largest contributor to the US-led air campaign against IS.

'Respect'

Opposition from Labour, led by Ed Miliband, was crucial in defeating the government in 2013 by 285 votes to 272 over Syria.

That debate focused on the regime of President Assad, rather than IS.

Mr Burnham is up against Liz Kendall, Yvette Cooper and Jeremy Corbyn in the leadership contest.

During last month's BBC Sunday Politics hustings, Ms Cooper said there would need to be clear military and moral objectives to any intervention, and Ms Kendall said any action would have to be part of a "wider political strategy in the region".

Mr Corbyn says he would vote against any military action in Syria.

Mr Burnham said the party would "do the responsible thing" if he was in charge.

"The message I would just send back to Cameron at this stage is: treat us with respect because it's not about the Labour party.

"The Opposition is the country in this, we've got to test what they are saying on behalf of the country.

"And if they try and bounce the Opposition into this they are not treating the country with respect."