Independent – Extend free school meals for the rest of summer, Johnson told
The Independent’s front page leads of calls to extend free school meals for the rest of the summer. But Dominic Raab has ruled it out despite calls from teaching unions and charities to widen it out to all families on universal credit.
Today's Headlines - Summarised
UK should designate China a national security threat, claims Priti Patel
UK should designate China a national security threat, claims Priti Patel Shadow foreign secretary accuses China of ‘all sorts of incursions in our country’, in a baseless attack against the Chinese. Ahead of trade deal talks with electric cars and Chinese production in the UK. UK should designate China a national security threat, claims Priti Patel. Alarming and insignificant as always, Priti Patel always harbours criticism for any non-western power, especially when she is motivated.
Met Office issues wind warnings of up to 85mph across parts of UK as Christmas holidays begin
Met Office issues wind warnings of up to 85mph across parts of UK as Christmas holidays begin The UK is set to see rain and disruptive winds of up to 85mph this weekend as the Met Office issues weather warnings for Christmas holiday drivers. Yellow wind warnings have been released for the weekend, with one covering Scotland, much of Northern Ireland, north Wales and north-west England between 7am and midnight on Saturday. Another warning is
Labour minister Tulip Siddiq caught up in Bangladesh corruption probe
Labour minister Tulip Siddiq caught up in Bangladesh corruption probe A Labour minister has been embroiled in a Bangladeshi corruption probe after the country’s government accused her of helping her aunt embezzle billions of pounds. City minister Tulip Siddiq, has been accused of helping Sheikh Hasina, the recently ousted prime minister of Bangladesh, to siphon off £5.2bn intended to be used building eight large-scale projects including a nuclear power plant. The Labour MP for Hampstead
Waspi women latest: Starmer faces growing Labour rebellion after ‘breaking promise’ on pensions
Waspi women latest: Starmer faces growing Labour rebellion after ‘breaking promise’ on pensions Keir Starmer faces a growing Labour rebellion after being accused of breaking a promise in a decision not to compensate Waspi women. Up to 50 Labour MPs would vote against the government’s decision to rule out spending £10bn compensating the women if a vote is held, The Independent understands. Waspi refers to a woman born between 1950 and 1960 who was disadvantaged
Water bills set for steep price hike after Ofwat review – how much will yours rise by?
Water bills set for steep price hike after Ofwat review – how much will yours rise by? Increases by water company: Anglian Water: 2024/25 £491; 2029/30 £631; up £140 (+29%)Dwr Cymru: 2024/25 £455; 2029/30 £645; up £190 (+42%)Hafren Dyfrdwy: 2024/25 £392; 2029/30 £557; up £165 (+42%)Northumbrian Water: 2024/25 £422; 2029/30 £510; up £88 (+21%)Severn Trent Water: 2024/25 £398; 2029/30 £583; up £185 (+47%)Southern Water: 2024/25 £420; 2029/30 £642; up £222 (+53%)South West Water: 2024/25 £497;
What Christmas will look like for Prince Andrew and Fergie as they are sidelined from royal festivities
What Christmas will look like for Prince Andrew and Fergie as they are sidelined from royal festivities When King Charles leads the Royal family on their traditional Christmas Day walk to St Mary Magdalene church, one notable absence will draw attention: his embattled younger brother, the Duke of York. It was revealed earlier this week that Prince Andrew had struck up a close friendship with an alleged Chinese spy, who has been banned from the
Lack of leadership in London
"When the Taliban took Kabul, the Prime Minister, the then-Foreign Secretary, the Minister responsible for Afghanistan, and the FCDO’s top civil servant, Sir Philip Barton, were all on leave."
"As the Government mounted its response to the crisis, many officials, military personnel and others worked extremely hard under conditions of intense pressure, some also facing significant personal risk. Unfortunately, their work was undermined by systemic failures."
What’s the report actually about?
Planning for withdrawal of UK troops
It was known in February 2020 that the US planned to withdraw from Afghanistan, however, the government and civil servants suffered from an “optimism bias” that the US would change its mind about withdrawing, meaning the government was not prepared.
“The UK government failed adequately to shape or respond to Washington’s decision to withdraw, to predict the speed of the Taliban’s takeover, or to plan and prepare for the evacuation of our Afghan partners,” the report said.
“Most damning for the Foreign Office is the total absence of a plan for evacuating Afghans who supported the UK mission, without being directly employed by the UK government, despite knowing 18 months before the collapse of Afghanistan that an evacuation might be necessary.”
The FCDO “failed to make the necessary preparations for withdrawal” by laying the groundwork for an evacuation with third countries.
On the evacuation
The report said the “mismanagement” of the evacuation in a crucial period “likely cost hundreds of people their chance to leave the country, and as a result likely cost lives.”
The report heavily criticised the FCDO’s top civil servant Sir Philip Barton who did not return from leave until the civilian evacuation was over. The report concluded he ‘should consider his position,’ saying his decision to not return whilst Kabul fell was “difficult to understand and impossible to excuse.”
The probe said the absence of leadership – both ministerial and official, when Kabul fell was ‘inexcusable and a grace indictment on those supposedly in charge.’
Along with Sir Philip, the then-Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and PM Boris Johnson were also on leave when the Taliban took control of Kabul which “marks a fundamental lack of seriousness, grip or leadership at a time of national emergency”.
Cats and dogs – did the PM lie over the animal evacuation?
The report said there was a lack of a line of command within the government and highlighted “untraceable and unaccountable political interventions.”
The controversy around Nowzad started when a British ex-soldier who was running an animal charity in Afghanistan – Nowzad, wanted to evacuate his charity’s cats and dogs. Accusations of prioritising animals over people swirled around. The ex-soldier Pen Farthing and around 150 of his charity’s animals were eventually evacuated via a privately chartered plane. The charity’s Afghan staff were turned away at the airport due to not having the right visas.
At the time, the government denied any help in evacuating Pen Farthings animals. In the report, the committee says: “We make no criticism of the organisation, its staff, or those who campaigned on its behalf: they were open about their case and objectives, which were in keeping with their stated priorities. The same cannot be said for the Government.”
The report found Pen Farthing was the only passenger on the 230-seat private jet and that Boris Johnson probably intervened to demand the evacuation.
The Foreign Office was further condemned for being “intentionally evasive, and often deliberately misleading” about what had happened.
“Senior officials believed that the prime minister played a greater role in some decisions than has been admitted,” the report said.
