Air Strikes against Syria: British PM Theresa May to face criticism for bypassing parliament

British Prime Minister Theresa May will face criticism today for bypassing parliament to join weekend air strikes against Syria, with some lawmakers calling for a potentially damaging vote on her future strategy. May, who has regained confidence after winning support for her tough stance on Syria and Russia, will make a statement to parliament on her decision to join the United States and France in Saturday's strikes in retaliation for a suspected gas attack. 

She will repeat Saturday's assertion that Britain was confident in the assessment that Syrian regime was highly likely responsible and that it could not wait to alleviate further humanitarian



suffering caused by chemical weapons attacks, according to excerpts of her speech. But she will be grilled over why she broke with a convention to seek parliamentary approval for the action, a decision that she and her ministers say was driven by the need to act quickly.

Much of the criticism will come from opposition lawmakers, but the prime minister may also have to work hard to defend her speed of action to members of her own Conservative Party who had wanted parliament recalled. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, has questioned the legal basis for Britain's involvement.