Theresa May 'planning snap Commons vote' to bomb Assad forces in Syria
Emilio Casalicchio, PoliticsHome
4th May 2017
Theresa May is reportedly plotting to hold a Commons vote on expanding military action in Syria if she increases herámajority at the upcoming general election.
The Prime Minister wants MPs to give the go-ahead for bombing president Bashar al-AssadÆs forces alongside the US if Donald Trump decides to strike the dictator again.
According to reports she wants to be ready to join the fight if Assad launches another gas attack against his own people û something the Government is ô99.9%ö certain he did last month.
A Whitehall source told the Sun: ôAfter the election, we will have a clear majority and we will push it through.ö
The RAF is currently only bombing Islamic State targets in Syria. MPs voted in 2013 against taking military action against Assad.
President Trump launched a surprise strike on a Syrian airbase after the gas attack last month which killed more than 70 people and injured more than 500.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has said it would be ôdifficult to say noö to Mr Trump if he called on Britain to take further action against AssadÆs forces.
Reports that Mrs May will seek a fresh Commons vote come after new military research found the gas used in the attack in Khan Shaykhunáin April was similar to the deadly nerve agent Sarin.
Meanwhile surveillance planes of remaining craters have concluded the attack was launched by air and only Syrian planes were airborne at the time.
And according to intelligence, two generals with links to previous attacks visited the airbase thought to have been used for the attack shortly before it was launched.
The Whitehall source added to the Sun: ôThe US attack destroyed 20 per cent of AssadÆs air force.
"It makes sense to destroy all of the aircraft. If you want to stop the use of chemical weapons you have to take out the aircraft.
"We are willing to join if asked but we would need a vote in parliament.ö
Last week Mr Johnson signalled that military action could be launched on AssadÆs forces without a vote in the Commons û but todayÆs reports appear to roll back from that stance.
Currently UK forces are only bombing Islamic State in Syria, after MPs voted to expand the action against the terror group at the end of 2015.
