The SNP has accused David Cameron of pulling a Commons vote on airstrikes in Syria because he knew he would lose.

The attack came as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called on the Prime Minister to re-think the current bombing campaign in Iraq.

Mr Corbyn said that RAF strikes appeared to be having little impact against Islamic State extremists in the country and called on ministers to "look again".

Earlier Downing Street insisted Mr Cameron had not given up hope of winning a vote to extend UK operations against IS into neighbouring Syria.

In August 2013, Mr Cameron's Coalition Government lost a Commons vote on possible UK military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government by 285 to 272 votes.

He lost the vote after then Labour leader Ed Miliband controversially refused to allow his MPs to back the proposal to send RAF planes into combat as part of US-led strikes.

Stephen Gethins, the North East Fife MP, said: “Clearly it looks like Cameron is pulling this vote because he cannot win it".

Earlier this week an influential committee of MPs warned the Conservative leader that he should not seek support for airstrikes until he could show there was a clear plan to end Syria's bloody civil war and defeat the jihadists.

The Commons Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC), of which Mr Gethins is a member, warned that airstrikes would have only a "marginal effect" and could compromise wider efforts to find a diplomatic solution.

Mr Cameron has indicated that he wants to bring a Commons vote when there is a consensus for action in Syria.

Military action is opposed by a group of around 30 Tory MPs, more than the government's majority of 12.

Opinion among some of those opponents is understood to have hardened following the intervention of Russia in the conflict in recent weeks.

On Iraq, Mr Corbyn, who has consistently opposed military intervention, said: "I'm not sure how successful it has been because most of the action appears to have moved into Syria, so I think we have to look again at that decision."

"This underlines the need for a political settlement and a political solution to a desperate humanitarian crisis," he added.

"Two million refugees and rising, winter closing in, desperate people, desperate for food and support in all of the countries surrounding Syria - there needs to be further humanitarian aid but above all there has to be a political settlement."

Downing Street defended the UK's involvement in Iraq.

No 10 said that the Prime Minister's focus was what the Government could do to protect the British people from the threat of IS (also known as Isil).

“Action against Isil in Iraq is part of that," the Prime Minister's official spokeswoman said.

Meanwhile, on a visit to Berlin the Chancellor George Osborne admitted that was currently no majority in the Commons for extending air strikes, but insisted that would not stop ministers trying again at a later date.

Mr Osborne, who also refused to rule out running to replace Mr Cameron when the Tory leader stands down before the next General Election, added: "Our position is very clear - we take the fight to Isis wherever we can...

"We continue to make the argument and when the time comes, we will put the vote to the House of Commons."