Editorial - The Syria debate: two cheers for parliament: Summoned back to debate the Syrian crisis, the House of Commons distinguished itself on Thursday. It did so because of the political outcome it achieved more than because of the quality of the parliamentary occasion itself. What mattered most was not the many speeches. What really counted is summed up in the familiar constitutional phrase about the legislature holding the executive to account. For that is exactly what occurred on Thursday. The government was prevented from mounting a premature and foolish attack on Syria because it could not muster enough votes to support it. Parliament, in other words, did its job when it mattered. - Guardian