Should MPs have been given a right to vote before Syria airstrikes?

COMETH the hour, cometh the woman. I applaud Theresa May for doing the right thing without escalating the impasse with Russia any further. I was a political and military analyst, serving my country and whichever government was in power, and I have no doubt this call was right. All indications are this was a well executed and targeted operation that impacted on Syria’s ability to stockpile and use chemical and nerve agents against civilians, without collateral damage. On purely humanitarian grounds this was right, and hopefully this will deter Syrian president Assad from further attacks. Legally, the operation passed all UN scrutiny, so didn’t need Parliamentary approval, which in any case would have given warning and lost the element of surprise. RHOD TIBBLES, Norwich.

MPs are furious at not being given a vote. But I expect many are relieved. Would they have refused to support action on humanitarian grounds? or supported the airstrike, in which case what is all the fuss about? Isn’t it much better when someone takes the decision and the flak? It’s called leadership. GEORGE KELLY, Burgh le Marsh, Lincs.

CAN we take it as official that Britain is no longer a democracy after Theresa May went out on a limb without consulting MPs and ordered unapproved military action in Syria? It was a complete departure from long-established parliamentary procedures. WILLIAM BURNS, Edinburgh.

WHY pick on Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour party for their stance on Syria? I’m sure a good talking-to from Jeremy will make presidents Assad and Putin see the error of their ways. NICK WILLIAMS, Brighton.

THE Opposition parties have displayed their true intent in opposing airstrikes, not for the good of peace in Syria, but to deny the Prime Minister’s executive powers. Had the decision gone to Parliament, would the conclusion be simply to form another committee? The metropolitan minority are disgruntled by the temerity of a Prime Minister who acts with good conscience in a difficult situation. At last we have a conviction politician who is not afraid to act for the good of mankind. FRANK McMANUS, Leeds.

JEREMY CORBYN’S position on Syria is straightforward: he doesn’t know what to do, but by convention he is bound to disagree with Theresa May. J. COLLINS, Chelmsford, Essex.

IN 2013, David Cameron asked Parliament to vote for action to stop Assad from murdering his own people and MPs voted it down. Now, five years and so many deaths later, Theresa May, together with our American and French allies, has done something to try to stop it. Instead of supporting her, Jeremy Corbyn prefers to defend Assad and Putin. TONY TAYLOR, York.

I CAN’T believe Mrs May has involved our country in an illegal attack on a country that has never injured any British citizen or worked against British interests. There is no mandate from the people to do this. ROGER C. BENNETT, East Brent, Somerset.

CERTAIN MPs demand a vote on action in Syria yet want to ignore the vote of the people they supposedly represent and overturn the Brexit referendum result. TERRY HALL, Ilkeston, Derbys.

THERE has been a furore that Parliament was not recalled to vote on airstrikes. But shouldn’t we be angry that MPs, who are meant to be running the country, have such long holidays? K. JACQUES, Stafford.