The idea of the Taliban getting closer to power in Afghanistan is very worrying indeed. That it comes at a time when we are withdrawing troops and slashing foreign aid by 78% shows astonishing irresponsibility on behalf of our government.
You can’t just walk away and leave people in the lurch as we are doing.
Ed Davey has spoken of his concerns about the advance of the Taliban:
As the Taliban take swathes of territory on their advance towards Kabul, millions of women and girls are facing the prospect of a new era of injustice, inequality and brutality – while the potential for a new vector of international terrorism forms across Afghanistan.
Meanwhile the UK is failing to meet its moral obligation to those interpreters who risked their lives supporting our troops, while our international development spending in Afghanistan has been slashed.
The spectre of a new security threat is looming. The UK government must work urgently with our international partners because right now we are failing to meet our responsibilities to the Afghan people.
Just before the Summer recess, Layla Moran talked to the I about the aid cuts after Commons Library research revealed that some of the most vulnerable and volatile countries in the world were having their aid cut by huge amounts – aid to the Palestinians down 89%, to Afghanistan 78%, to Yemen 71%.
Layla said:
These figures paint an incredibly concerning picture about the potential impact of the aid cuts in the most vulnerable parts of the world.
To reduce development spending just as the UK is withdrawing troops from Afghanistan is the worst of all worlds – it’s like not just pulling out the rug from under our Afghan allies, but pulling up the floorboards too.
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