Though Theresa May, still responding to questions from MPs in the Commons on the weekend strikes in Syria, seems to have won support from a clear majority of MPs, her session has not been entirely comfortable. A large number of backbench Labour MPs made clear that they agreed with the Prime Minister’s assessment that the chemical attack in Douma had been launched by the Assad regime, but they also expressed disappointment that there had not been a vote in Parliament beforehand. Lib Dem leader Vince Cable agreed with this, as did the SNP.
But one striking intervention came from Ken Clarke, who asked May to consider setting up a cross-party commission examining the role of Parliament in such matters. He put his finger on something that Jeremy Corbyn has also been pushing for, albeit for different reasons, which is clarity on who holds the power in these situations.
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