Latest news with #PritiPatel
Telegraph
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
We could not betray Afghan allies who fought alongside us
The first I knew that something was going drastically wrong with Afghanistan was in the Press room at the Pentagon, standing alongside the then US defence secretary. A journalist asked my counterpart about the 'secret annex' to the Trump peace deal. What secret annex I thought? Our closest ally hadn't shared it with us. When we finally saw the annex I was horrified that it could not have been written more in the Taliban's favour if it tried. The annex forced the existing Afghan government to release more than 4,000 of the worst Taliban prisoners while at the same time committing US air power and special forces to staying grounded or in barracks. I said it at the time – it was a rotten deal that allowed the Taliban to storm Kabul without any compromise. Donald Trump now tries to blame Joe Biden but it was his conditions that allowed such a victory for the group that had killed so many allies and local opposition. Priti Patel, the home secretary, and I had agreed to accelerate relocation to UK. The Prime Minister and National Security Council endorsed our efforts. I despatched General Gwyn Jenkins for two weeks to spend time in the country with the Afghan ministries and president. Jenkins was an Afghan veteran and knew many in the military leadership. What he reported back was not good reading and went against the Foreign Office and other advice I was getting in the Department. This thing was heading for a collapse. What those who criticise our actions forget is that this was an evacuation of forces and allies who had been based in Afghanistan for 20 years. We needed to act rapidly. Our own veterans felt a bond of honour to those who had helped them and many Afghans were afraid. They say that to lead is to choose. As a government, we had to make a choice about who was entitled to come. We did not want members of the Afghan army to just cut and run. The allies had invested billions in training them. Being in the Afghan army would not on its own offer you a route out to a new life. Only forces who had directly worked with us and within recent years would be eligible for resettlement. Many in the country were scared; overwhelming number of Afghans applied through every route they could to get out. This completely blocked the system as duplicate applications built up. The weight of applications threatened to thwart the legitimate claimants. Many were not eligible in any way at all. So all of us tried every way we could to clear the lists of applicants. I personally signed off hundreds. UK personnel had to work from sketchy and historical records on former comrades. We found applications from known Islamic State and al Qaeda sympathisers and from people who had been dismissed for collaboration with the Taliban. The successful applicants had to be processed and flown out, some even smuggled out. My officials and military personnel could not rely on old records so had to keep up a constant dialogue with those in the country. One such member, amongst all the chaos and in trying to do the right thing, accidentally sent more data than they should to some in Afghanistan. It was a mistake. It wasn't a conspiracy and it wasn't a reckless betrayal. No one knew of this error until a year later when a disgruntled Afghan tried to blackmail us. On being informed, I was determined that the first priority was to protect all those that might be at risk. My primary concern was their welfare. My priority was not the UK government, nor politics, it was the veterans and those who we needed to get out. We did all we could to continue to evacuate even more people who were now at risk and do so through even more routes – air or land. After much work by our own people there was, and still to this day is, no evidence that any of the data found its way to the Taliban. I make no apology for applying to the court for an injunction at the time. It was not, as some are childishly trying to claim, a cover up. I took the view that if this leak was reported at the time, the existence of the list would put in peril those we needed to help out. Some may disagree but imagine if the Taliban had been alerted to the existence of this list. I would dread to think what would have happened. I shall leave it to you to decide what you would have done. But in the end we got more than 18,000 people out. We did this with the help of brave souls and allies. We took more than most. At the time we informed the Opposition, now the Government, and the Speaker of the House. We always knew there would be a time for this to become public. Three years since the leak it has now become so. The judge has done the right thing throughout. But let's not forget the environment at the time.
The Guardian
14 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Windrush commissioner pledges to fight for justice for marginalised groups
The newly appointed Windrush commissioner has promised to expand his remit, to fight for justice for a wider spectrum of marginalised communities who have experienced discrimination in housing, education, employment and policing. At a launch event on Wednesday, Clive Foster will tell the immigration minister, Seema Malhotra, that he does not intend to perform a public relations role for the government. 'Many people were broken by the betrayal, hurt and displacement caused by a scandal that has left a stain on the social conscience of the nation,' he will say, adding that he will challenge officials until they complete 'unfinished work' and fulfil their commitments to those affected. Some commentators have cast Foster's new role as a 'Dettol commissioner', responsible for cleaning up the government's mess. Responding to this scepticism, Foster will tell an audience of members of the Windrush generation at Hackney town hall that his job will be 'to confront uncomfortable realities, not conceal them'. 'If I am to be seen as a Dettol commissioner, as some have called me, let it be in the spirit of healing and protection, not sanitising the truth,' he will say. 'Moral outrage still burns within me for people who had the legal and moral right to be here but were denied that.' Foster, a pastor from Nottingham, was named by the Home Office as Windrush commissioner in June and starts work this week. His appointment fulfils a promise made by the former home secretary Priti Patel to implement a series of recommendations designed to introduce comprehensive reform of the Home Office in the wake of the Windrush scandal, in which thousands of people, many of them from the Caribbean, were wrongly classified as immigration offenders despite having spent most of their lives in the UK. Foster plans to widen his role to address wider injustices, in addition to his core responsibility as 'a champion of the Windrush generation's legacy, ensuring this generation is remembered for their contribution – not just for a scandal'. He will say: 'What began as a fight for justice for the Windrush generation has become a mirror reflecting the broader struggles faced by Black Britons and other marginalised communities. People have come forward not only with experiences of immigration injustice but with experiences of discrimination in housing, education, employment and policing. I want to ensure these voices are heard in the places where change happens.' A number of applicants to the Windrush compensation scheme have seen their applications rejected because they had applied under the misapprehension that the scheme would offer compensation not just to people wrongly labelled as immigration offenders but also to those who had experienced racist treatment in the course of their working lives or during their education in the UK. Applicants often viewed the compensation scheme as an 'opening to express the longstanding hurt and pain they feel about discrimination', Foster told the Guardian. 'They want to express how discrimination and structural racism has affected them over the years. We need to create a space for those voices to be heard and ensure that the right action is taken.' Foster noted that there remained 'suspicion and apprehension' towards the Home Office among the Windrush generation and their descendants, and said some people were still wary about coming forward to apply for citizenship documentation. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion More than 8,000 people have received documentation from the Home Office confirming that they are living in the country legally. About £112m has been paid out across 3,334 compensation claims, in recognition of the extent to which people's lives were upturned by the Home Office's decision to categorise those affected as illegal immigrants. Some of those affected by the Home Office's mistakes were wrongly deported, others were detained, lost their jobs and homes or were denied access to pensions and free NHS treatment. The compensation scheme has been repeatedly criticised for being slow to resolve claims, and at least 64 people have died after submitting claims for compensation. Foster's parents moved from Jamaica to the UK in 1959. His mother worked as a nurse for the NHS and his father worked in factories and mines. 'This is personal for me,' he will say.
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Starmer's Chagos 'surrender' deal helps Mauritius top destination list for global super-rich thanks to tax cuts paid for by Britain's billions
Mauritius has topped a global league table of desirable destinations for the super-rich, thanks to tax cuts paid for by Keir Starmer 's Chagos Islands 'surrender'. The tiny Indian Ocean nation is tied with Monaco at the head of Nomad Capitalist's Freedom Index 2025 after announcing plans to abolish income tax using money handed over by British taxpayers. The Prime Minister last month signed an agreement to cede sovereignty of the strategically-important Indian Ocean archipelago. The deal will see the UK lease back a military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands, with Britain paying Mauritius an average of £101million a year for 99 years. In its inaugural Freedom Index Nomad, which brands itself a 'boutique tax and citizenship consultancy' for high and ultra-high net-worth individuals, said Mauritius had 'sensible taxation, a robust legal system and near-zero violent crime, giving investors a stable bridge between Africa and Asia '. Switzerland, Portugal and Ireland rounded out the top five, with the UK 21st and the United States joint 29th under Donald Trump. It came as Foreign Secretary today introduces a bill to hand over the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius. Tory shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel said: 'It's a £30 billion tax on British taxpayers. 'Working people across Britain will pay the government of Mauritius to give them British territory, and deliver tax cuts to the people of Mauritius.' Mauritius will use almost £500million of the UK payments to help clear its national debt. This will allow the east African country to abolish income tax entirely for 81 per cent of employed Mauritians and raise minimum salaries. It has also been pointed out how, under the Chagos Islands deal, UK taxpayers are now funding more than 4 per cent of the Mauritian government's total budget. Nomad Capitalist research associate, Javier Correa, said its index 'educates and empowers high-net-worth individuals and families on their journey to live more freely'. 'While the West still preaches liberty, countries like the UK and US have become poster children for bloated bureaucracy, rising taxation, and the mismanagement of public finances,' he said. 'From entrepreneurs to investors, globally minded citizens need to understand that the Western world has changed and they may need to look elsewhere, so the Nomad Capitalist Freedom Index is a blueprint for them to go where they are treated best.' It aims to highlight places 'where personal liberty, financial sovereignty and lifestyle flexibility still exist and thrive - where global citizens can actually live life on their own terms'. To accompany the treaty, MPs will need to sign off on a Bill to wind up the current governance of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). The treaty will only come into force once the legislation is 'in place', according to the Government. It follows a 2019 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice, which said the UK should cede control. As well as establishing a £40 million fund for Chagossians expelled from the islands, the UK has agreed to pay Mauritius at least £120 million annually during the 99-year agreement. The Government, however, estimates the bill will be lower at around £101 million a year, while critics argue it will be much higher.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Norman Tebbit's funeral to be held at Bury St Edmunds cathedral
The funeral service for former Conservative cabinet minister Norman Tebbit will be held at the cathedral in the town where he lived. Lord Tebbit died at his home in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, on 7 July aged was injured in an IRA bombing in Brighton in 1984, which left his wife Margaret permanently paralysed. His funeral will take place at 11:00 BST on 31 July at St Edmundsbury Cathedral, before a private service later. Lord Tebbit's family have asked for donations to the town's St Nicholas Hospice or the East Anglian Air was an Essex MP, representing Epping - later redrawn and renamed Chingford -between 1970 and 1992. He then joined the House of Lords. Local and national Conservative figures are expected to Conservative Prime Minister Lord David Cameron described Lord Tebbit as "a man of great conviction, profound self-belief and with a direct and sometimes abrasive tone".The Conservative MP for Witham, Priti Patel, called him "a giant of the Conservative Party", and said he had "displayed great courage".Lord Deben – former Suffolk Coastal MP John Gummer, who served alongside Lord Tebbit in Margaret Thatcher's cabinet - praised his former colleague for leaving a legacy of "bravery" in how he had cared for his former environment secretary said Lord Tebbit "did what he thought was right" and showed "remarkable courage" following the Brighton bombing. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
A12 widening scheme cancelation called 'a disgrace'
Politicians and businesses have criticised the decision to axe an A12 widening project, with one MP calling it "a disgrace". Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander cancelled the long-awaited £1.2b works planned for the road near Chelmsford, Essex, blaming it on a lack of accused the previous Conservative government of promising infrastructure projects with "no plan to pay for them".But Dame Priti Patel, Tory MP for Witham, said: "I just think this is disgraceful. This will have big implications for the whole county." Plans had been in place for the £1.2bn project to widen a 15-mile (24km) stretch of the road from Chelmsford to the A120 junction at Marks was approved by the government in January 2024 to help ease congestion for the 90,000 vehicles that use that section of the road on a daily basis. Andrew Triolo, depot principal at Pallet Plus Limited, in Colchester, he said he was "very disappointed".He estimated it costs him about £60 per hour per vehicle to "sit in traffic" on the A12."It's a travesty - it really is. We all want to reach from A to B as safely as we can - the A12 doesn't always deliver that." 'Frustrated' Ms Patel added: "I think we need to see the methodology that was used to rank and score this decision."What are the reasons that have gone into this?"What does this mean for housing and development because this Labour government want many more houses built."Sir Bernard Jenkin - the MP for Harwich and North Essex - was also unhappy with the said: "How can I possibly welcome the secretary of state's statement when she, by her own admission, has cancelled the A12 widening scheme?"The plans had been in the pipeline for the 11 years - 10 of which when Conservatives were in Pearson is the co-founder of the Community Planning Alliance said she was "happy" the widening had been scrapped. She told BBC Essex: "I am pleased that these extra six carriage ways will not go ahead and we need to put our focus on transport led housing rather than road led housing."Alexander announced on Tuesday that more money was going to be invested into roads in the north of England and the Midlands."I understand some communities will feel frustrated, but by taking this decision we are rebalancing funds towards those areas that for too long haven't had the infrastructure investment they have deserved," she added. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
