Syria air strikes will get parliament majority - Hammond

LONDON (Reuters) - British foreign minister Philip Hammond said on Monday he was confident the government would secure a parliamentary majority in support of launching air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria. "I am confident that when we bring this matter to a vote in parliament we will now see a majority of parliamentarians supporting the action," he told reporters after meeting German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. "During the course of today there has been significant progress in the task of building a coalition in parliament in favour of air strikes in Syria and ensuring that when it comes to a vote that coalition is able to find its voice," he said, according to the Press Association news agency. (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Richard Balmforth)