Ipswich MP and junior health minister Ben Gummer set the tone by insisting that the Government had a duty to attack IS/Daesh terrorists who have based themselves in Syria as well as Iraq.
He said: “I shall certainly be supporting the Government and I think people understand that this is an issue that needs to be addressed.
“I feel it is a question of duty for us as well – we cannot just leave it to our allies like France and the United States.”
West Suffolk MP Matthew Hancock has made it clear he will be supporting any Government proposal to launch air strikes on the terrorists in Syria.
He said: “National security is the primary duty of Government. To maintain our national security we need to pursue a broad strategy to degrade and destroy Isil.
“This includes challenging their claim to represent Islam, when in fact they are just evil thugs.
“And it must contain both diplomatic and military action both in Iraq as now and also in their base in Syria.”
Central Suffolk and North Ipswich MP Dr Dan Poulter said he would listen to the debate, but was likely to support the Government.
He said: “A decision to send British troops into combat can never be taken lightly. I shall await what the PM has to say but am becoming increasingly persuaded that air strikes in Syria are necessary to properly deal with the threat posed by Daesh.”
Suffolk Coastal MP Dr Therese Coffey – who is also deputy leader of the House of Commons – made it clear she would be backing the Government.
She said: “I have every confidence in the Prime Minister and the judgement of the security services on this.”
South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge said he would be listening closely to the debate before finally making up his mind – but said he was likely to support action.
He said: “There is a clear and present danger and we need a strategy to defeat that.”
Waveney MP Peter Aldous is another MP who is planning to listen carefully to the debate before finally making up his mind.
“But I am increasingly likely to go along with the action that the Prime Minister is looking at,” he said.
And Bury St Edmunds MP Jo Churchill felt that the terrorists were the enemy who needed to be sorted out.
She felt the attacks on Paris had brought the dangers home to people in this country – that was an attack very near to British shores in a city many Britons were familiar with.
She said: “If we took a vote I would be coming down on the side that however you look at this, we need to show ourselves not to be wanting in our response as far as sorting out the evil that Daesh is.”
Colchester MP Will Quince, representing a garrison town, has said he would need to think very hard before deciding which way to vote.
And North Essex MP Bernard Jenkin said there needed to be a comprehensive plan to remove the terrorists and restore proper Government to the territory they controlled.
- Published in the EADT