• I THOUGHT that after the Tony Blair years in power we would move away from “policy-on-the-hoof” politics.

Not so. With Theresa May’s debacle of Brexit, we’ve now inherited Boris Johnson’s political debauchery of how to become the next prime minister – on the hoof.

That is, invent a scam to raise UK’s global prestige, power, and competence and, by hook or by crook, give Mrs May a war if all else fails.

How convenient for the UK to tarnish Russia with, potentially, a “weapon of mass destruction”. Syria (and Assad) are now wide open for rescue from an illegal chemical attack by British boots on the ground and, of course, blame Russia. Public opinion would no doubt more than likely agree – see Margaret Thatcher.

All I have to say is: “Yes, prime minister” – and Boris Johnson should go away and shut up. I had forecast this possibility of British boots on the ground in Syria in my letter to your readers dated April 21 last year: “Are we naïve enough to believe this election is about Brexit?”

If the UK government can’t stop making policy-on-the-hoof, world opinion may forget we can win wars legitimately.

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