SOUTH Lakes MP Tim Farron has given his backing to United States military action in Syria and said the British Government should do more to help the war-stricken country’s citizens.

The US carried out missile strikes against a Syrian airbase early this morning in response to suspected chemical weapons attacks. It has been reported that 59 cruise missiles have been launched from two US Navy ships in the Mediterranean Sea.

Earlier this week, dozens of civilians in the Idlib province of Syria died after what is believed to be an nerve gas attack. US President Donald Trump branded Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian President, a dictator.

A spokesperson for No 10 described the airstrikes as an ‘appropriate response’, but Mr Farron called for further action.

The Westmorland and Lonsdale MP said: “The attack by American forces was a proportionate response to the barbarous attack by the Syrian government on its own people.

“The British government rather than just putting out a bland statement welcoming this should now follow it up and call an emergency meeting of the Nato alliance to see what else can be done, be that more surgical strikes or no-fly zones.

“Evil happens when good people do nothing, we cannot sit by while a dictator gasses his own people.

“We cannot stand by, we must act.”