London Hopes to Hold Syria Campaign Vote This Week, Still Building Case

The UK government wishes to have a parliamentary vote on expanding its anti-ISIL campaign to Syria this week.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The UK government wishes to have a parliamentary vote on expanding its anti-Islamic State campaign to Syria this week, but is still "building the case" for it, UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said Sunday.

"We'd like to have a vote for military action but we've got to keep building the case," Fallon told the BBC when asked whether the vote would be held in the upcoming week.

There are not enough votes in the government to approve the measure yet, Fallon added.

London has been carrying out airstrikes against IS targets in Iraq since 2014. On Thursday, Prime Minister David Cameron set out the case for extending UK’s military campaign against ISIL extremist group to Syria. The prime minister needs to shore up support of lawmakers from the opposition Labour party before he can press for a vote in the House of Commons.

Earlier in the day, local media reported that the vote may be held on December 2.