Sky Sources: Liberal Democrat MPs will back airstrikes in #Syria — Sky News Newsdesk (@SkyNewsBreak) December 1, 2015

We will keep you updated.

Nick Clegg has confirmed this

Former Deputy Prime Minister @nick_clegg: UK should be part of multilateral airstrikes https://t.co/iCIoTKHzqR — Sky News Tonight (@SkyNewsTonight) December 1, 2015

He said that Tim Farron had led the debate and that on balance it was best to back the international effort. There is the “tantalising prospect of a more coherent approach to this awful civil war…we should play our part in being co-author to a solution in that part of the world.

The plot thickens, though. SLF Chair Naomi Smith tweeted..

I'm hearing Nick Clegg spoke without consent of colleagues incl @timfarron to make that statement. Will LD MPs vote for or against? — Pimlicat (@pimlicat) December 1, 2015

It seems more likely that he may have spoken out of turn rather than inaccurately, but, still. There’s only 8 cats to herd now, but still they’ll surprise you. Where’s Linda Jack’s fluffy handcuffs when you need them?

Here’s a reminder of the five tests Tim set last week:

1. Legal

Military intervention must follow an international legal framework. We believe this has been provided by UN Resolution 2249 which urges members to take “all reasonable measures” to defeat ISIL.

This is the instrument with which all those opposed to ISIL have the means to coordinate military action to defeat them, including regional actors on the ground.

2. Wider diplomatic framework including efforts towards a no-bomb zone to protect civilians

Any military action by the UK must be part of a wider international effort involving all who have an interest in defeating ISIL, as a prelude to ending the conflict in Syria, including Russia, Iran and Turkey.

The UK Government should use all efforts to ensure that the Vienna talks succeed in bringing together the broadest possible support for action to end the war in Syria and effect political transition.

In addition, we call on the government to explicitly work towards ending the Syrian regime’s bombing of civilianswith a no-bomb zone to maximise civilian protection and allow for an upscaling of humanitarian access.

3. UK led pressure on Gulf States for increased support in the region

The UK should lead a concerted international effort to put pressure on the Gulf States, specifically Saudi Arabia and the Emiratis, to stop the funding of jihadi groups within the region and worldwide and do much more to assist in the effort to defeat ISIL, establish peace in Syria and help with the refugee situation. They are currently doing very little, despite claiming to be part of the anti-ISIL coalition.

ISIL is not just a Western problem, and this is one way of preventing them from framing the situation in that way.

4. Post-ISIL plan

The government must be absolutely clear on what Syria and Iraq will look like post-ISIL, and what post-conflict strategy (including an exit strategy) they propose to give the best chance of avoiding a power vacuum. This must be linked to the above diplomatic framework which will outline steps for ending the wider conflict in Syria.

5. Domestic

We acknowledge that the fight against ISIL is not just in the Middle East: it is within Europe and it is here in the UK. We call on the government to immediately publish its 2014 investigation into the Muslim Brotherhood and also call on them to conduct an investigation into foreign funding and support of extremist and terrorist groups in the UK.

We call on the government to step up its acceptance of Syrian refugees, and opt in to Save the Children’s proposal to rehome 3000 unaccompanied refugee children from with Europe.

back airstrikes in Kosovo, calling them “unpardonable folly.” At that time, Paddy Ashdown had been one of the most vocal proponents of taking action on humanitarian grounds.

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