The so-called Islamic State is committing genocide against Yazidi and Christian groups in Iraq and Syria, MPs have unanimously declared.

The House of Commons defied the Government to vote 278-0 in favour of declaring the attacks a genocide, calling on ministers to refer the atrocities to the United Nations.

The declaration follows the US House of Representatives making a similar unanimous declaration in March, and the European Parliament doing so in February.

Conservative MP Fiona Bruce said during the debate that MPs should not shy aware from declaring the activities of Isis a genocide.

“Genocide is a word of such gravity, implications and history, that it should never be used too readily,” she said.

“It is rightly known as the ‘crime above all crimes’. For this reason alone it is incumbent upon all of us to prevent the term from devaluation or over-use.

“But such caution must not stop us from naming a genocide where one is taking place.”

In Pictures: Isis loses control of Palmyra Show all 4 1 /4 In Pictures: Isis loses control of Palmyra In Pictures: Isis loses control of Palmyra The iconic Temple of Bel prior to being blown up by Islamic State (IS) group jihadists in September 2015 and the remains of the temple after Syrian troops recaptured the ancient site In Pictures: Isis loses control of Palmyra he Arc de Troimphe (Triumph's Arc) prior to being destroyed by Islamic State (IS) group jihadists in October 2015 and the remains of the iconic structure after government troops recaptured the ancient city In Pictures: Isis loses control of Palmyra The once vibrant museum is now full of empty displays after the destruction of artefacts In Pictures: Isis loses control of Palmyra Corbis The Monumental Arch is among the many lost structures and treasures Corbis

Labour’s shadow foreign office minister Diana Johnson urged the Government to respect the supremacy of parliament and refer the issue to the UN immediately.

The vote is effectively non-binding and a statement of intent, however.

In January the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights released a report which suggested killings between June 2014 and February 2015 could amount to a “possible genocide”.

At the time the UN's human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said: “Even the obscene casualty figures fail to accurately reflect exactly how terribly civilians are suffering in Iraq.