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Foreign Affairs Committee

The latest news and comment on the Foreign Affairs Committee

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Emily Thornberry: “I Wanted Keir To Have More Of An Opportunity To Be Himself”
Foreign affairs
Emily Thornberry: “I Wanted Keir To Have More Of An Opportunity To Be Himself”
Foreign Affairs Committee chair Emily Thornberry tells Sienna Rodgers Labour needs ‘bold and brave and open leadership’ – from radicalism at home to the EU reset and British soft power around the world
Morgan McSweeney Says Mandelson's Friendship With Epstein Was 'Knife Through My Soul'
Foreign affairs
Morgan McSweeney Says Mandelson's Friendship With Epstein Was "Knife Through My Soul"
Keir Starmer's former chief of staff has described the moment when he realised the depth of Lord Mandelson's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein as having “a knife through my soul”.
No 10 Was 'Uninterested' In Mandelson Security Vetting, Says Ex Foreign Office Chief
Foreign affairs
No 10 Was "Uninterested" In Mandelson Security Vetting, Says Ex Foreign Office Chief
The former head civil servant in the Foreign Office has told MPs that Downing Street showed an "uninterested" attitude towards the security vetting of Lord Mandelson.
Former Foreign Office Chief Accuses No 10 Of 'Dismissive Approach' To Mandelson's Vetting
Foreign affairs
By Zoe Crowther
Former Foreign Office Chief Accuses No 10 Of "Dismissive Approach" To Mandelson's Vetting
Former Foreign Office permanent secretary Olly Robbins has said No 10 had a "dismissive approach" to Lord Peter Mandelson's vetting.
UK Cannot Be 'Complacent' About Russian Interference In General Elections
Foreign affairs
UK Cannot Be "Complacent" About Russian Interference In General Elections
The chair of the foreign affairs select committee has said the UK cannot be complacent about Russian attempts to influence its elections after a Romanian court annulled the country's presidential contest citing interference.
Boost BBC World Service Funding To Help Ukraine Fight Russia, Says Labour MP
Culture
By Tom Scotson
Boost BBC World Service Funding To Help Ukraine Fight Russia, Says Labour MP
A Labour MP is leading calls for the BBC World Service to be given a funding boost, arguing that it has helped Ukraine fight Russia by combatting disinformation.
Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Is 'Sure' Government Will Pay Attention To Israeli Jet Court Case
Defence
By Tom Scotson
Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Is "Sure" Government Will Pay Attention To Israeli Jet Court Case
Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Emily Thornberry expects the Government to pay close attention to an upcoming Dutch legal verdict on the sale of parts used to make Israel's F-35 jets.
David Cameron Blames Foreign Office And Home Office Disconnect For Historic Failures On Immigration
Foreign affairs
David Cameron Blames Foreign Office And Home Office Disconnect For Historic Failures On Immigration
Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron said he "blamed" his own government for allowing the Foreign Office and Home Office to pull against each other when trying to tackle illegal migration.
Foreign Secretary Defends China Diplomacy Despite Criticism From MPs
Foreign affairs
Foreign Secretary Defends China Diplomacy Despite Criticism From MPs
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has defended his visit to China against criticism from MPs that the government's stance on China has been "incoherent", as he visits the country for the first time.
Foreign Committee Chair Says UK And Allies Have 'Failed' To Deter Conflict In Balkans
Foreign affairs
Foreign Committee Chair Says UK And Allies Have "Failed" To Deter Conflict In Balkans
Foreign Affairs Select Committee Chair Alicia Kearns will put pressure on politicians around the world to take a more “balanced” international approach and use deterrence to stop ongoing conflict in the Balkans.
Rishi Sunak Urged To Match 'Robust' China Rhetoric With Policy “Depth”
Foreign affairs
Rishi Sunak Urged To Match "Robust" China Rhetoric With Policy “Depth”
An influential Conservative MP has questioned the “depth” of Rishi Sunak's approach to China as he prepares to deliver his first foreign policy speech as Prime Minister.
Liz Truss Says UK Must Make “Difficult Decisions” Over Challenging Human Rights Abuses In Gulf States
Foreign affairs
Liz Truss Says UK Must Make “Difficult Decisions” Over Challenging Human Rights Abuses In Gulf States
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has defended the government’s failure to challenge human rights abuses during ongoing trade negotiations with Gulf States.
Committee Corridor: Tom Tugendhat on Ukraine, Afghanistan and failures of leadership
Defence
By Sienna Rodgers
Committee Corridor: Tom Tugendhat on Ukraine, Afghanistan and failures of leadership
Conservative MP, former soldier and foreign affairs specialist Tom Tugendhat is the host of a new podcast about Commons committees. He talks to Sienna Rodgers about the war in Ukraine, Afghanistan and failures of leadership
Nine months on from the fall of Kabul, the tragic human cost of Britain’s failings continues to mount
Defence
By Ash Alexander-Cooper
Nine months on from the fall of Kabul, the tragic human cost of Britain’s failings continues to mount
As the United Kingdom and our allies made plans for a hasty exit from Afghanistan last summer, thousands of Afghans received emails from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) informing them that they would be evacuated, following successful Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme applications.
New Whistleblower Claims Boris Johnson Intervened To Evacuate Dogs From Afghanistan
Foreign affairs
New Whistleblower Claims Boris Johnson Intervened To Evacuate Dogs From Afghanistan
A second whistleblower in the Foreign Office has backed up claims Boris Johnson personally intervened to help get a plane full of animals evacuated from Afghanistan during the UK’s military withdrawal from the country last year.
Liz Truss Says UK Did 'All We Could In Advance' To Deter Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
Foreign affairs
Liz Truss Says UK Did "All We Could In Advance" To Deter Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
Foreign secretary Liz Truss has said that she warned Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, against invading Ukraine on three occasions, and that the UK did "all we could in advance” to prevent the crisis.

Email Shows Boris Johnson Authorised Evacuation Of Pen Farthing Dogs From Afghanistan
Foreign affairs
Email Shows Boris Johnson Authorised Evacuation Of Pen Farthing Dogs From Afghanistan
Boris Johnson personally authorised the evacuation of former soldier Pen Farthing and his animals from Afghanistan, according to documents released by the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Senior Foreign Office Official Says He Regrets Staying On Holiday As The Afghan Crisis Unfolded
Foreign affairs
Senior Foreign Office Official Says He Regrets Staying On Holiday As The Afghan Crisis Unfolded
The permanent under-secretary to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has said he feels “regret” for not returning from holiday sooner as Afghanistan was on course to fall to the Taliban.
Whistleblower Accuses Foreign Office Of Leaving Afghans To Be 'Murdered By The Taliban'
Foreign affairs
Whistleblower Accuses Foreign Office Of Leaving Afghans To Be "Murdered By The Taliban"
A foreign office whistleblower has said just 5% of Afghan nationals who asked the UK for help to flee the Taliban were assisted in leaving the country.
Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Warns US-China Tensions Could Rise After Afghanistan Withdrawal
Foreign affairs
Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Warns US-China Tensions Could Rise After Afghanistan Withdrawal
Foreign affairs committee chair Tom Tugendhat has said he believes that NATO's withdrawal from Afghanistan will likely catalyse a significant rise in tensions between the US and China.
Dominic Raab Confirms Afghan British Embassy Guards Were Left Behind In Kabul
Foreign affairs
Dominic Raab Confirms Afghan British Embassy Guards Were Left Behind In Kabul
The Foreign Secretary has confirmed that Afghan guards who worked at the British embassy in Kabul were unable to evacuate to the UK because buses transporting them to the airport were prevented from entering the compound.
Dominic Raab Will Visit “Afghanistan Region” After Grilling By MPs On Evacuation Crisis
Foreign affairs
Dominic Raab Will Visit “Afghanistan Region” After Grilling By MPs On Evacuation Crisis
The foreign secretary has confirmed he is flying to the Middle East tonight amid growing criticism of his handling of the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan.
Dominic Raab To Be Grilled On US-UK Relations And Afghans 'Left Behind' At Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing
Foreign affairs
Dominic Raab To Be Grilled On US-UK Relations And Afghans "Left Behind" At Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing
Exclusive: Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will face tough questions on topics ranging from Britain’s relationship with China and Russia, to the number of individuals eligible for UK protection who have been “left behind”, during tomorrow’s emergency Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Afghanistan.
Parliamentary scrutiny of the government's approach to development aid has never been more vital
Foreign affairs
By Sarah Champion MP
Parliamentary scrutiny of the government's approach to development aid has never been more vital
The future of the International Development Committee is uncertain, but it has never been needed more. We propose the Committee remit shifts to cover all official development assistance spend across Government