Our first taste of a packed House of Commons for 17 months

Our first taste of a packed House of Commons for 17 months

The Tories largely without masks – in contrast to those on the opposition benches

This morning’s emergency debate on Afghanistan is the first time that we have seen a largely packed House of Commons since the first lockdown came into force in March last year and it has been a big reminder of how abnormal politics has been.

It was also Starmer’s first taste of being opposition leader in a big debate in front of a full House of Commons and I thought he handled it well. He had a good line that Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab had been ‘missing in action over the Taliban takeover.

A more powerful contribution has come from TMay who looks set over this issue to make life difficult for her successor.

Best of all, in my view, was from Tom Tugendhat, a Tory MP who served in Afghanistan, who made this powerful point: “I’ve watched good men go into the earth, taking with them a part of me, a part of all of us. This week has torn open some of those wounds and left them raw, left them hurting.” He then attacked Biden for suggesting that Afghan forces gave up in the face of the Taliban advance. “Those that have never fought for the colours they fly should be careful of criticising those who have”

This is not a comfortable time for anyone.

Mike Smithson

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