The Prime Minister said Britain remained "engaged" on the world stage despite 30 backbenchers forcing him to abandon plans to help America with missile strikes against the Syrian regime.

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In the aftermath of the defeat George Osborne, the Chancellor, tried to lead the Downing Street fightback. Mr Osborne said there had to be "national soul searching" over Britain's world role.

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The country must decide if it wants to continue "being that big open and trading nation that I like us to be or whether we turn our back on that", he said.