Daily Update – Explosion at Kabul airport

Politics Live

5:00pm – That’s all from us

Join us tomorrow for more news and updates.

4:22pm – Highly likely ISIS were responsible for attack

4:00pm – Pentagon confirms US casualties

John Kirby has confirmed US casualties at Kabul airport, saying: “We can confirm that the explosion at the Abbey Gate was the result of a complex attack that resulted in a number of US & civilian casualties. We can also confirm at least one other explosion at or near the Baron Hotel, a short distance from Abbey Gate. We will continue to update.”

3:41pm – Second explosion

Reports are suggesting a second explosion has happened at Kabul airport.

The Pentagon has confirmed that the explosion at the Abbey Gate has “resulted in an unknown number of casualties.”

Sky News are reporting that there have been no British military or diplomatic casualties. However the explosions were in areas with large number of Afghans

3:20pm – MoD reaction to explosion

The Ministry of Defence have released the following statement: “We are working urgently to establish what has happened in Kabul and its impact on the ongoing evacuation effort.

“Our primary concern remains the safety of our personnel, British citizens and the citizens of Afghanistan. We are in close contact with our US and other NATO allies at an operational level on the immediate response to this incident.”

2:55pm – Explosion at Kabul Airport -Pentagon

1:06pm – Constructive or destructive? Extinction Rebellion

As we’ve mentioned on the blog, XR are carrying out two weeks of protests to highlight the need for people to ‘wake up to climate change’.

Our reporter Chris Lomas headed into central London to check it out.

Constructive or destructive? Extinction Rebellion

12:28pm – ‘Overwhelming majority’ of refugees out of Afghanistan, says Johnson

Boris Johnson has said an ‘overwhelming majority’ of refugees eligible for evacuation are now out of Afghanistan.

It is thought this number could be as high as 15,000. However there are many stories circulating of politicians, contractors and translators who are stuck in the country.

Johnson admitted there was very little time left to get everyone else out, but said the government would do “everything we can to get everybody else”.

“We owe them a debt. They’re people who looked after our armed forces, helped for the 20 years of the UK engagement, it’s absolutely the right thing to do. We’ve got the overwhelming majority of those to whom we owe that debt out of Afghanistan.”

10:51am – ‘Very lethal attack’ on Kabul airport imminent

A “very lethal attack” could happen at Kabul airport in a matter of hours, armed forces minister James Heappey has said.

Heappey told Sky News that they are “ever more certain” that an attack could take place “imminently”. When asked if this could be in the next few hours, Heappey replied: “Yes”.

The Taliban have become increasingly disgruntled with people fleeing the country, and earlier this week said there would be consequences to a withdrawal extension.

Defence minister Ben Wallace said that the UK government is “doing our best to keep those that have not left safe”.

“We are doing our best to look at what other alternative provisions we might be able to make, but obviously we won’t be advertising those because that would simply make the alternative routes a target in themselves.”

10:48am – Poll cuts Tory lead by 10 points

Take election polls at this stage of a cycle with a pinch of salt. That said, a 10 point narrowing is a huge change in just over a month. Is Afghanistan the cause?

10:26am – Len McCluskey steps down as general secretary

After 10 years in the job, Len McCluskey has stepped down as general secretary of Unite. According to staff he was one of the last still working at the union’s HQ yesterday evening.

Sharon Graham won an election yesterday to become the first female leader of Unite, in what was seen as a shock victory. Neither of McCluskey’s top 2 preferred candidates won.

9:00am – ‘We won’t get everybody out’

Armed Forces minister James Heappey has told LBC that: “We won’t get everybody out. There will be people on your TV screens on the weekend who have been left behind.”

8:30am – Today’s headlines

  • Afghans told to head for the border as thousands try to flee before deadline
  • NHS plans to rollout vaccine for 12 to 15 year-olds
  • Two Tory MPs plea for universal credit to remain at higher rate

8:15am – Today’s newspaper front pages

  • i: Britain tells Afghans to forget the airport and go to the border – Defence secretary Ben Wallace has warned that it may be safer to escape from Kabul over land rather than at the airport. 10,000 are reportedly gathered at Kabul.
  • The Times: ‘Not everyone is going to get out,’ Wallace admits – The Times sees the defence secretary’s comments as evidence that some people will be left behind, including some politicians and humanitarian workers.
  • Daily Telegraph: NHS draws up plans to vaccinate 12-year-olds – The NHS are reportedly preparing to vaccinate children aged between 12 and 15. Health officials want the rollout to start before schools return next month.
  • Daily Mirror: Race to get booster jabs – There is a “race” to get booster jabs as evidence grows that vaccine potency is beginning to wear off.
  • Metro: Paddle be likely – The Metro looks at Raab’s defence regarding his delay in returning to work. The foreign secretary said that rumours he was paddle boarding couldn’t have been true as the sea was closed.

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