I suppose it might be some comfort to think Liz Truss reads George Orwell, however, Homage to Catalonia should not be the set text for developing our response to Russian aggression.

To support volunteers with no military training (and if she meant only those with military training she should have said so, in terms) to go to fight against an overwhelming military force is practically useless and morally reprehensible.

Does she really believe that “supporting” volunteers to go to Ukraine is going to change the course of the war? More like it will just increase the death toll. It is a gesture which costs the government nothing but for volunteers possibly everything.

If people wish to go to fight, I admire their bravery and their solidarity with the Ukraniane people. The government should not prevent them but it should certainly not encourage them.

The western allies judge Ukraine will eventually fall after a bloodbath but the risk of nuclear war is too great for direct military intervention. Our red lines have been set around Nato. We hope that sanctions and long term armed resistance to an imposed puppet government will lead to Putin’s fall.

There are signs that strategy may work. Indeed there are many positive signs that Putin, encouraged by many previous successful probes at the norms of international behaviour, has overreached himself. There are people who can end this carnage now, but they are all in Russia.

It is truly inspiring there are people in our country and around the world who wish to risk their lives to support the brave people of Ukraine. I cannot encourage them, the Foreign Secretary should not. Any that do go and fight in the defence of democracy should be revered as heroes. We should pay homage to them and all the people of Ukraine.