Britain should be part of military action in Syria – Cameron

British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Saturday, Britain should join military action against Islamic State in Syria.

Speaking at a news conference after a meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government in Malta, Cameron said the UK should not outsource the protection its people.

“My argument is yes there is military action that is being taken over the skies of Syria. That can help. And Britain should be part of that action because of the extra resources and abilities that we can bring. Also we shouldn’t be outsourcing the protection of our own people to our allies. We should be part of it. But you ask what follows? What needs to happen so badly in Syria is for there to be a transition to a government that can represent all of the country,” he said.

“But my argument in the House of Commons is we can’t wait for that political solution. We have to start acting now to keep our country, our people and indeed others in Europe safe,” he added.

Cameron wants to convince lawmakers to back British air strikes against Islamic State in Syria as well as in Iraq where it already supports U.S.-led attacks.

Cameron’s drive to win support in parliament has taken on fresh urgency after the attacks by gunmen in Paris this month which killed 130 people and were claimed by Islamic State.

French President Francois Hollande said on Friday he hoped Britain’s lawmakers would back Cameron on the issue.

An opinion poll suggested 48 percent of British voters supported extending air strikes to hit Islamic State in Syria with 30 percent opposed. The poll, carried out by polling firm Survation for the Daily Mirror newspaper, also showed 49 percent favoured diplomatic and non-military options before committing Britain to anything more than air strikes.

Anti-war demonstrators were due to march in London later on Saturday against any extension of military action by Britain.

Cameron lost a vote in parliament on air strikes against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in 2013.

On that occasion, Labour did not give its lawmakers a free vote and ordered them to vote against the government.

Cameron has said he will only call a vote on launching bombing raids against Islamic State in Syria if he is sure of winning enough support.