Syria vote: sleepless night(s) for the undecided

Image caption, David Cameron announcing plans for a one-day debate on how to respond to the threat of "Islamic State".
  • Author, David Cornock
  • Role, 大象传媒 Wales Parliamentary correspondent

The Welsh Labour MP was frank. He'd been up until 2:30am debating how to vote over Syria and was still undecided.

He is not alone. Rarely have I spoken to so many politicians who seem genuinely undecided how to vote on a major issue. The obvious parallel would be the 2003 vote on Iraq although then Labour MPs were expected by their party to back military action.

This time they have a "free" vote, although they do face pressures of a different kind - from their constituencies, from party members and from anti-war groups.

Some are wrestling with their conscience and trying to avoid the media, swiftly changing the subject when approached.

That said, with little more than 24 hours to go before the key vote, more than half Wales's 25 Labour MPs are expected to vote against air strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria.

Rhondda MP and shadow Commons leader Chris Bryant and Caerphilly MP Wayne David are the only Welsh Labour MPs so far to have said they will vote with the government.

Six MPs, including the Liberal Democrats' only Welsh MP Mark Williams and Conservative Glyn Davies, say they are undecided on how to vote.

Many are looking to the prime minister to re-assure them that there is a long-term plan for the future of Syria. They also want to know more about Mr Cameron's claim that there are 70,000 Syrian opposition fighters who could take on Islamic State on the ground.

Barring the unexpected, Mr Cameron can expect to win Wednesday's vote, although the signs are that his majority may not be as large as he might have expected 24 hours ago.

You can read the motion .