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UK Media as Deeply Divided on Syria Vote as House of Commons

© Flickr / Lena VasiljevaA man reading a British newspaper in London, UK
A man reading a British newspaper in London, UK - Sputnik International
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Prime Minister's Questions has been scrapped in the UK and instead MPs will debate whether to commence a bombing campaign in Syria against Daesh militants - also known as Islamic State.

David Cameron wants to extend the bombing campaign in Iraq to target Daesh in Syria and parliament is likely to vote to approve the airstrikes. While many in the UK believe it's a foregone conclusion — and Britain is just days away from scrambling RAF jets — opposition to the airstrikes is growing on the ground with demonstrations taking place outside Labour Party headquarters and Parliament Square.

The pictures of the protests have been published in many of Britain's mainstream newspapers — but with very different headlines.

Not holding back on its support for Number 10 — and with a picture of a protester on Parliament Square at night, holding a placard saying "Don't Bomb Syria" — the Daily Telegraph simply writes:

"Corbyn the terrorist sympathizer."

The front page of the Guardian draws attention to the split in the government and within the Labour party:

"Battle lines drawn on Syria vote."

The vote is expected to take place at 22:00 GMT Wednesday 2 December. A quote from David Cameron and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is superimposed on a picture of a military jet poised for take-off at sunrise.

© Sputnik / collageUK newspaper headlines on Syria vote
UK newspaper headlines on Syria vote  - Sputnik International
UK newspaper headlines on Syria vote

"This is about the necessity of taking military action against ISIL… but it is part of a broader strategy to protect our national interest of fighting against this appalling organization," the Guardian quotes David Cameron.

To the right of the jet however, is a quote from Jeremy Corbyn:

"We are going to kill people in their homes by our bombs. I think we should be very careful about that… we are not going to bomb our way to democracy."

The Sun, Britain's most popular tabloid newspaper, has a picture of police training for a potential terror attack in Britain, with "WAR ZONE" written above the words: "PM's rallying cry for Syria IS attack."

London newspaper The Times on the other hand, leads with a poll of what members of the public think:

"Less than half of voters back airstrikes on Syria."

The front page of the Independent has a quote from Middle East journalist, Patrick Cockburn, along with the headline, "Britain's next war."

"Britain is on the verge of entering a conflict in Syria in which its political and military strategy is based on wishful thinking and poor information. British air strikes in Syria will be too few to make much difference to ISIS, but are important because they signal Britain's entry into what may be a long war," Cockburn writes.

Away from the front pages and moving online. Following David Cameron's controversial comments urging his Conservative party members to back airstrikes rather than side with "Jeremy Corbyn and a bunch of terrorist sympathisers", it comes as no surprise that #terroristsympathiser is trending on Twitter. 

The cross-party amendment signed by leaders of the Scottish National Party and the Green Party has also been making the rounds on Twitter:

"While welcoming the renewed impetus towards peace a reconstruction in Syria, and the Government's recognition that a comprehensive strategy against Daesh is required, does not believe that the case for the UK's participation in the ongoing air campaign in Syria by 10 countries has been made under current circumstances, and consequently declines to authorize military action in Syria."

The result of the vote will be revealed at 22:00 GMT in London, just in time for the next day's front pages.

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