Boris Johnson to recall parliament to discuss Afghanistan crisis
Boris Johnson is set to recall parliament during summer recess to discuss the developing crisis in Afghanistan.
He is also set to hold an emergency Cobra meeting today to discuss the UK’s potential actions as the Taliban prepare to take over the capital of Kabul.
The Prime Minister will tell MPs to come back to parliament for one day next week as the Taliban today enters the Afghani capital of Kabul.
Parliament is expected to be recalled from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Wednesday, with Speaker Lindsay Hoyle reportedly signing off on the three-hour parliamentary session.
A Number 10 source said earlier today: “The Prime Minister is expected to recall parliament this week to discuss the situation in Afghanistan. The timing is to be confirmed with the speaker.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer earlier today called for parliament to be recalled.
“We need parliament recalled so the government can update MPs on how it plans to work with allies to avoid a humanitarian crisis and a return to the days of Afghanistan being a base for extremists whose purpose will be to threaten our interests, values and national security,” he said.
Taliban fighters have already taken over every other major city except Kabul, just months after the US began its complete withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Reports from Kabul today suggest the extreme Islamist group are now beginning to enter the capital, which is expected to soon fall.
NBC reports that the group has freed 5,000 of their soldiers that have been imprisoned in Bagram airbase.
There have already been reports of the group taking girls as young as 12 into sex slavery in other parts of conquered Afghanistan, along with other atrocities committed against women.
Pressure is growing in the UK for a more robust response from Nato to stop the takeover of Kabul, after the US began its complete withdrawal of troops just months ago.
Tory Foreign Affairs Committee chair Tom Tugendhat said: “I don’t know what is in the works because we haven’t heard from the Foreign Secretary in about a week – despite this being the biggest single policy disaster since Suez.”
Johnson has defended the UK’s relative inaction.
“It is very difficult obviously, but I think the UK can be extremely proud of what has been done in Afghanistan over the last 20 years,” he said.