SHADOW foreign secretary Hilary Benn’s “specious” evocation of the International Brigades’ heroism as justification for Britain joining the aerial bombardment of Syria provoked outrage yesterday.

Speaking in the Commons on Wednesday night, Mr Benn sought to draw parallels between the fight against fascism in the 1930s and ’40s and the case for further British military action against the Islamic State (Isis) terrorist group.

Mr Benn said: “We are here faced by fascists — not just their calculated brutality, but their belief that they are superior to every single one of us in the chamber tonight, and the people we represent.

“What we know about fascists is that they need to be defeated. It is why, as we have heard tonight, socialists, trade unionists and others joined the International Brigade in the 1930s to fight against Franco.”

His comments angered many who not only queried his definition of fascism but also accused him of exploiting the memory of those who gave their lives to fight the far right during the Spanish civil war and World War II.

Thousands of individuals defied their governments in order to travel to Spain in 1936 to fight in defence of the Spanish republic against the fascist troops of General Francisco Franco.

Speaking in a personal capacity, International Brigade Memorial Trust trustee Pauline Fraser hit out at Mr Benn for seeking to use a “just war” to justify his position.

“There is absolutely no comparison between the volunteers who defied their government to try to save the Spanish republic and those who fought fascism in World War II and the bombing of Syria by Western imperialist powers, which will not be helpful in solving the problem and means that many civilians will be killed,” she said.