Afghanistan crisis RECAP What is happening in Afghanistan today | Joe Biden speech reaction | Dominic Raab defends UK Government
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Afghanistan crisis RECAP: Latest news and updates
Key Events
- ‘Women’s rights very important under our rule', claims Taliban
- Britain did not see Taliban takeover coming, Foreign Secretary says
- PM to unveil plan to let vulnerable Afghans set up home in UK
- Prince Harry encourages veterans to ‘support one another’ amid Taliban takeover
The UK made a promise to the people of Afghanistan 20 years ago. We must not break it – Christine Jardine MP
There is a horrible familiarity about the picture unfolding in Afghanistan for those of us old enough to remember the 1970s.
Starmer calls on UK Government to show ‘some urgency’ to situation in Afghanistan
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called on the Government to show “some urgency” in responding to the situation in Afghanistan.
Speaking to the PA news agency on a trip to Wolverhampton, Sir Keir said: “The situation in Afghanistan is shocking and it’s tragic. We are seeing, before our very eyes, the unravelling of 20 years of progress and of huge sacrifice.
“And I appreciate that the decision to withdraw was not the Government’s decision alone, but I want the Prime Minister to step up to the plate, show some leadership, and some urgency.
“We have got a United Nation’s Security Council meeting this afternoon. It’s absolutely clear what the priorities have to be: that’s the evacuation of UK nationals and eligible Afghans, it’s ensuring a process for the safety of all of those who are remaining there, and an assertion of the human rights of everybody in Afghanistan… particularly women and girls, and an agreement about safe and legal routes for refugees, because it is inevitable there is going to be a refugee crisis coming out of this.
“So what I say to the Government is, step up to the plate, show that urgency, and take these priorities into the meeting this afternoon.”
Crossbench peer, former Cabinet secretary and former national security adviser Lord Sedwill said it was a “humiliating moment for the West” and warned “extremists everywhere will be emboldened”.
Families of fallen soldiers criticise Government’s handling of Afghanistan
Families of soldiers who died on previous tours of Afghanistan have criticised the British and US Governments’ handling of the withdrawal from the nation as the Taliban starts to seize control.
Graham Knight, father of 25-year-old RAF Sergeant Ben Knight who was killed when his Nimrod aircraft exploded in Afghanistan in 2006, said the British Government should have moved more quickly to get civilians out.
The 69-year-old told the PA news agency: “We’re not surprised that the Taliban have taken over because as soon as the Americans and the British said they were going to leave, we knew this was going to happen.
“The Taliban made their intent very clear that, as soon as we went out, they would move in.
“As for whether people’s lives were lost through a war that wasn’t winneable, I think they were.
“I think the problem was we were fighting people that were native to the country. We weren’t fighting terrorists, we were fighting people who actually lived there and didn’t like us being there.”
Sir Keir Starmer said the Foreign Secretary should have returned sooner from his holiday, and described the speed of the Government’s response to the situation in Afghanistan as “slow pace”.
Asked if the Foreign Secretary should have returned from his holiday sooner than Sunday, the Labour leader said: “Of course he should, I think everybody appreciates just how important a moment this is, and you can sense across all political parties, including Conservative MPs who are deeply unhappy at what appears to be the slow pace of response from the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary, and this comes on the back of course to slashing of funding in Afghanistan and our commitment to foreign aid.
“So there is a tension and a frustration across political parties, including (among) backbench Tory MPs.”
Sir Keir was speaking with the PA news agency on a trip to Wolverhampton.
What you need to know about the Taliban, Afghanistan and what Sturgeon said about Afghan refugees in Scotland
The Taliban’s sweeping return to power in Afghanistan and scenes of citizens trying to flee the takeover at Kabul Airport has shaken the world – here’s what you need to know