THERESA MAY has no mandate to order Britain’s air force to take part in any bombing spree against Syria, which would not only be illegal but fraught with danger.

Securing a Cabinet majority for tailing behind whatever decision is taken across the Atlantic will confer neither legality nor justification for further death and destruction in Syria.

Those who advocate bombing Syria don’t even justify their stance militarily, talking airily about “punishing” or “sending a message to” Bashar al-Assad, Vladimir Putin or both of them.