Hilary Benn has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Leeds Central since a 1999 by-election, and has served as Shadow Foreign Secretary since May 2015. Tonight he gave a powerful speech, in the House of Commons in which he defied his own party's leader, urging the British Parliament to support airstrikes in Syria. Described by his opposite number as "one of the truly great speeches in
the house of Commons", Benn's speech, which follows below, drew prolonged cheers and
applause from all sides.
The House of Commons voted by 397 to 223, including 66 Labor Members, in favor of extending RAF action across the border from Iraq.
