Hilary Benn

Hilary Benn on air strikes in Syria, December 2, 2015 Benn closed the debate for the opposition while disagreeing with his own leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who opposed the strikes, with Labour members given a free vote. His case that ISIS had to be confronted drew applause from all sides of the chamber, and Stella Creasy tweeted that his speech had persuaded her. Sixty-six Labour MPs voted with the government, and the motion passed 397 to 223. It would have passed without them, so Benn earns his place for the minds the record shows he moved, not for the result: a member saying in public, on the night, that a speech had persuaded her.