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5:00pm – And that’s all from us!
Join us tomorrow for more news and updates.
4:40pm – Reaction to Raab
There seems a consensus that Raab probably did enough to survive the ordeal. He was cagey and refused to admit guilt, but also had a few gaffes which could come back to hurt him later.
Labour will be hoping the gaffes cut through to the public, but will also know there was no knockout blow.
3:50pm – Hearing ends
As a final comment, Tugendhat says the Afghan pull out is “the single biggest foreign policy disaster since Suez, because it has exposed weakness in our alliances and our stance”.
Raab, unsurprisingly perhaps, disagrees but does admit it was not a success.
3:43pm – Raab admits that he needs to investigate Newsnight report that embassy staff told people to go to the Abbey Gate the day of the ISIS-K bombing.
3:39pm – Raab says some MPs emails were ignored so that all resources could be put into helping get people out.
3:35pm – Tugendhat describes the situation of a former interpreter who has heavily struggled to secure a permit.
Raab says that there is a “very real question” about the security checks being brought through. Working with other nations has proved difficult as they want proof that Britain will both process and take people.
“I think rightly [we want to] be very careful that we don’t allow people back to the UK who might pose us a threat.”
3:28pm – Raab says he has no plans to step down when asked. Admits there are “lessons to be learned by how we were caught out”.
Says the UK were not alone in getting it wrong.
3:25pm – Coyle: “Why is Global Britain so isolated?”
Raab: “We need to face the reality… too much wishful thinking.”
3:24pm – “We will not recognise the Taliban” Raab says. Also says all of the G7 agree.
3:20pm – Royston Smith asks how the government hopes to impose sanctions without hurting the Afghan people.
Raab points to a track record in other countries with aid missions. Also says the Taliban should be in discussion and that the “aid gets to those who need it most”.
3:14pm – Raab says he is “always open to learning the lessons” from the crisis. That said, he doesn’t seem to be able to point to any particulars at the moment aside from that he should’ve returned from holiday earlier.
3:11pm – Graham Stringer asks what regrets Raab has. The foreign secretary deflects saying “we’ll always continue to learn”.
3:08pm – Raab says “it’s pretty remarkable” he reached an agreement on the UN security council.
“The Taliban have a choice here… they will not want to see the gains… totally collapse.”
2:58pm – Raab hints that we may need to work with the Taliban, but Tugendhat responds saying that there is evidence that the Taliban has already begun attacking and enacting revenge on people within the country.
2:52pm – Raab says that he doesn’t believe the UK has done worse than any other nation at evacuation people in need. Neil Coyle responds saying we have, and accuses Raab of not even knowing how many are left and have been held up “over paperwork”.
Raab and Coyle then have a heated spat as Coyle accuses Raab of avoiding the question.
2:45pm – Raab admits that due to covid he has not been to Afghanistan since becoming foreign secretary.
2:38pm – “What advice would you be giving to people [left in Afghanistan at threat] now?” Bryant asks.
Raab lists through many people who are helped, law enforcement, journalists, judges, etc. Says that for those still there, a UN security council resolution was brought forward by the UK to keep people safe. Also says there is a focus on opening borders for those trying to flee across to neighbouring countries.
2:33pm – “Why have three different departments?” Chris Bryant asks as the foreign secretary deflects to the Ministry of Defence for stats.
2:30pm – Raab admits that an amount in the “low hundreds” have been left. He is unable to be more precise on this number.
2:27pm – Raab is asked about when he went on holiday, and if it was after the US’ statement that Afghanistan would fall to the Taliban on August 11th. He deflects saying that “I have given a full statement on my holiday”. He also admitted he didn’t think Kabul would fall THIS YEAR.
He’s not allowed to leave it there however. Chris Bryant says: “The difficulty for us is that the prime minister was on holiday… you were on holiday, the under secretary was on holiday… all at the same time.”
2:25pm – Raab is pressed on Johnson’s comments that there was a plan to deal with the fall of Afghanistan. Raab says that travel advice was changed and UK staff at the embassy was reduced from April.
2:20pm – Raab is asked “why did we get it so badly wrong”. Raab says there was optimism about the US approach, and the Taliban’s direct and rapid confrontation was a surprise. Also says the assessment made by allies was that the Taliban wouldn’t have the means to take the country so quickly.
2:16pm – Raab says there was “some wishful thinking” that the Biden administration would change their course of action. Is then asked why Britain couldn’t secure allies to stay in Afghanistan.
2:11pm – Tugendhat quotes a report that suggests Britain knew Afghanistan could fall as early as July 22nd. When Raab asks what the source for that claim is, Tugendhat responds “your principle risk report”.
2:10pm – Raab says that intelligence was that Afghanistan would not fall at least until the end of the year. He says Nato allies agreed.
2:05pm – Raab is asked when was the last time a member of his team was in one of the nations surrounding Afghanistan and is unable to respond. Tom Tugendhat then responds saying that the Germans have been using the surrounding nations to evacuate people.
1:50pm – Raab questioning to kick off soon
Foreign secretary Dominic Raab will soon begin answering questions related to Afghanistan. We’ll keep you updated with it all here.
12:25pm – Negotiation with terrorists?
Much of the conversation about the Taliban has switched to a negotiating position, with the UK government trying to reach a deal to evacuate further people from the country despite the deadline being passed.
But it has been pointed out that the Haqqani Network, proscribed by both the US and UK as a terrorist organisation, forms part of the Taliban leadership and is currently in charge of Kabul security.
Will this be ignored? Or could it prove a stumbling block in negotiations?
11:30am – What to expect from Raab hearing?
Times Radio’s Tom Newton Dunn summarises some of the key questions we should expect to have answered by foreign secretary Dominic Raab at his hearing later today.
How can we help those who have been left behind? What did we know about the US’ plans? How can we protect the female MPs who have spent 20 years criticising the Taliban and are “certain to be killed”?
Dominic Raab appears before the Foreign Affairs Committee at 2pm tomorrow for a special session. Bitterly criticised for FCDO as well as personal failings, the bottom line is the Afghanistan debacle was on his watch so he will be fighting for his job. Here's what to expect (1)
— Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) August 31, 2021
9:40am – Scotland to trial four day working week
Scotland will trial a four-day working week, without a loss of pay. It will take elements of systems used in New Zealand and Iceland.
The theory goes that by reducing working days (and perhaps even hours) people will be more efficient in completing tasks.
According to the BBC, 80% of people said they would prefer a four-day working week.
9:25am – Afghan’s who helped Britain to be offered permanent residence
Afghans who worked for the British government over the past 20 years will be able to move to the UK permanently, the Home Office has said.
Over 8,000 people were evacuated since August 13th, but Labour have warned there are many more who have been left behind.
8:30am – Today’s headlines
- UK and Taliban in talks over further evacuations
- Raab will face questions over Afghanistan at 2pm
- Weather-related disasters increased by five times over past half a century
8:20am – Newspaper headlines
- The Daily Telegraph: Biden: US no longer the world’s policeman – Afghanistan once again dominates the front pages. The Telegraph leads on comments from president Biden that the US will no longer attempt “to remake other countries”.
- Metro: ‘Death to the West’ – The paper shows a Taliban parade ‘gloating’ at the deaths of those in the recent bombing in Kabul airport. Fake coffins adorned with flags were paraded down the streets.
- The Guardian: ‘Why did they come if they wanted to leave us like this?’ – The Guardian focuses on the lives and fears of ordinary Afghans, many who feel they have been abandoned by the US and UK.
- Daily Mirror: Miracle jab to stop heart attacks – The Mirror leads with a new ‘miracle jab’ which it says could save thousands of lives by preventing heart attacks and strokes. The jab will be given to 300,000 vulnerable patients soon.
8:00am – Summer is over but welcome back to Politics Live!
