The British Parliament’s vote against bombing Syria derailed America’s own plans to use force against the Assad regime in response to its use of chemical weapons, John Kerry has said.

It has long been speculated that Barack Obama backed away from his plan to strike Syria because of David Cameron’s defeat in the House of Commons in 2013, but the outgoing US Secretary of State confirmed it officially in a farewell press conference.

Asked about the moment Mr Obama decided not to enforce his “red line” against the use of chemical weapons in Syria, Mr Kerry said on Thursday that the British vote meant the US President felt he had no choice but to secure approval from the US Congress.

“The President decided that he needed to go to Congress because of what had happened in Great Britain,” Mr Kerry said.