💥 In a letter to me late last week, the MoD has finally admitted that UK Special Forces were able to veto their Afghan counterparts coming by to the UK, where they could be called as witnesses in an inquiry into allegations of war crimes. This is an absolute scandal that the government spent months denying.
thetimes.com/article/b9522b…
thetimes.com/article/b9522b…
Last week, Minister Andrew Murrison sent me this letter. The bizarre part? The letter wasn’t sent to my parliamentary email - which is still receiving correspondence - but to the SNP’s generic HQ email. Clearly they hoped this would be missed entirely and go under the radar.
The veto power outlined in the letter represents a clear conflict of interest for UK Special Forces, as it gave them decision-making power over applications at a time when a public inquiry about alleged war crimes committed by UK Special Forces is underway.
The public inquiry, led by The Right Honourable Lord Justice-Cave, has the power to compel witnesses who are in the UK, but not non-UK nationals who are overseas. If the Afghan Special Forces members were in the UK they could be asked to provide potentially significant evidence.
The public inquiry, led by The Right Honourable Lord Justice-Cave, has the power to compel witnesses who are in the UK, but not non-UK nationals who are overseas. If the Afghan Special Forces members were in the UK they could be asked to provide potentially significant evidence.
This represents a 180º reversal of the public position advanced by the UK Government and comes after years of campaigning on the issue of Special Forces oversight - which I raised immediately on the floor of the House of Commons after the 2019 election.
This is an extraordinary admission by the UK Government, and a complete and utter betrayal of those Afghan men who fought alongside UK personnel and now face being hunted and executed by the Taliban.
That the letter has been sneaked out in the most underhand fashion - clearly in the hope that it would go under the radar during an election campaign - is unprecedented. I intend to share the letter with Lord Justice Haddon-Cave as it is clearly pertinent to his inquiry.
That the letter has been sneaked out in the most underhand fashion - clearly in the hope that it would go under the radar during an election campaign - is unprecedented. I intend to share the letter with Lord Justice Haddon-Cave as it is clearly pertinent to his inquiry.
Throughout this Parliament, I have consistently campaigned for the UK Government to follow our European and NATO allies in allowing elected politicians to scrutinise the work of the Special Forces. I have consistently been met with stonewalling and lies."
From documents released during the Afghanistan inquiry which reveal that government Ministers knowingly gave false answers to my questions in the House of Commons to this latest attempt to cover their tracks during an election campaign, is it clear that the UK Government will defy the basic principles of honest government even to the bitter end.
From documents released during the Afghanistan inquiry which reveal that government Ministers knowingly gave false answers to my questions in the House of Commons to this latest attempt to cover their tracks during an election campaign, is it clear that the UK Government will defy the basic principles of honest government even to the bitter end.
For too long, the Westminster parties have agreed an omerta on the Special Forces. I will continue to stand up against this anti-democratic conspiracy of silence, which does nothing but undermine the long-term capability and safety of the Armed Forces and further damage this country's reputation abroad.
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