Daily Update – August 23rd

Politics Live

5:00pm – And that’s all from us today

Join us tomorrow for more news and updates.

3:40pm – The scale of the evacuation effort

This graph here by Al Jazeera shows the scale of the evacuation effort by each nation.

3:00pm – UK signs deal with Pfizer for 35 million vaccines

The UK have signed a deal ordering 35 million more pfizer vaccines due midway through next year.

The government say this will keep people safe for “years to come”, future-proofing the country against the threat of covid.

Health secretary Sajid Javid said: “I am pleased we’ve reached this agreement with Pfizer for more doses as part of our robust preparations to future-proof our vaccine programme, ensuring we have plans in place to keep the nation safe for years to come.”

This will have brought up the total vaccines ordered to 542 million doses, enough for every adult in the UK to have had more than 10.

2:08pm – Anti-Taliban resistant group ready to fight

The BBC are reporting that the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) have said that if peaceful negotiations with the Taliban fail “we’re not going to accept any sort of aggression”.

The group’s leader, Ahmad Massoud, is the son of resistance icon Ahmad Shah Massoud, who founded the NRF and led Afghans against the USSR in the 1980s and 90s.

Massoud said the group had “thousands of forces ready for the resistance”, although this number has not been verified yet.

“However, we prefer to pursue peace and negotiations before any sort of war and conflict,” spokesperson Ali Nazary said.

1:15pm – Mass US evacuations from Afghanistan

According to Kaitlan Collins, CNN’s chief White House correspondent, the US have evacuated approximately 10,400 people from Kabul in the last 24 hours. 28 military flights have picked up people from Kabul airport.

12:11pm – Taliban: ‘Consequences’ to withdrawal delay

Asked what is the point of asking President Biden if the Taliban then object, No10 say: “It’s important to get a uniform approach through the G7 and gain more clarity over what is achievable”.

“If that’s [done] further discussions may be had with Taliban”.

However No10 have also admitted that the Taliban “have a say on this”.

The Taliban, in an interview to Sky News, have said that there will be “consequences” if the US delays their withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Taliban spokesperson Dr Suhail Shaheen said: “It’s a red line. President Biden announced that on 31 August they would withdraw all their military forces. So if they extend it that means they are extending occupation while there is no need for that.”

He added: “If the US or UK were to seek additional time to continue evacuations – the answer is no. Or there would be consequences.

11.08am – Extinction Rebellion protests kick off in London

Two weeks of climate demonstrations kick off in the capital today, with protestors convening at Trafalgar Square.

Extinction Rebellion says disruption will continue until the government agrees to stop all new fossil fuel investment immediately.

10:48am – ‘Hours not weeks’ for evacuation

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace says we’re now looking at “hours not weeks” to evacuate people from Afghanistan.

9:45am – Testing providers warned over misleading prices

The government has announced that 82 companies, which make up around 18% listed as offering day 2 and day 8 tests for travellers, face being removed from the GOV.UK list if they advertise misleading prices.

This comes after complaints were made regarding the high costs of travel tests. One outlet found that the cheapest available price was around £50.

The health secretary Sajid Javid said: “It is absolutely unacceptable for any private testing company to be taking advantage of holidaymakers and today’s action clamps down on this cowboy behaviour.”

9:18am – Labour to shake-up universal credit

According to the Guardian, Labour will state they intend to transform how universal credit is handled, allowing people on benefits to earn more money without seeing their payments cut.

The move could cost billions of pounds.

The shadow work and pensions secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, is expected to say later today: “I am pledging today that the next Labour government […] will reduce the taper rate when we replace universal credit. Improving our social security system to allow people to have jobs you can raise a family on is part of our new deal for working people.”

8:55am – Taliban get vote on withdrawal extension

Defence Minister James Heappey has confirmed that the Taliban will get a vote in the G7 on whether to allow a further extension to the evacuation efforts at Kabul airport.

He also said that any humanitarian help would be impossible without their help.

Boris Johnson is putting pressure on US president Joe Biden to extend the current deadline. Thousands are still hoping to leave Afghanistan.

8:30am – Today’s headlines

  • Johnson asks Biden to delay withdrawal
  • Travel firms warned over misleading test prices
  • Afghan refugees stuck ‘in limbo’

8:15am – Newspaper round-up

So what is dominating the newspaper headlines this morning?

  • The Guardian: No 10 plea to Biden after Taliban show of strength – Almost every paper leads on Afghanistan. The Guardian are reporting that Boris Johnson will lobby Joe Biden to keep troops at Kabul airport until the 31st August. The Taliban have tightened their grip on the airport.
  • The Times: Mass airlift to evacuate 6,000 people from Kabul chaos – The Times says the UK will step up it’s evacuation plans, with an aim to fly 6,000 out of Afghanistan this week.
  • Metro: I was just doing my duty – The Metro leads on a British soldier cradling a baby saying: “I was just doing my duty”. It paints a picture of life on the front line in Kabul.
  • Daily Express: Time running out for trapped Britons – The Express says time is running out for trapped Britons in Kabul but quotes a diplomat saying that the UK evacuation effort was gathering pace.

8:00am – Welcome back to another day of Politics Live!