Sir Keir Starmer

There has always been support across this House for the United Kingdom fulfilling our obligations to Afghans who served alongside British forces. We warned in opposition about Conservative management of this policy, and yesterday the Defence Secretary set out the full extent of the failings that we inherited: a major data breach, a super-injunction and a secret route that had already cost hundreds of millions of pounds. Ministers who served in the Conservative Government have serious questions to answer about how this was ever allowed to happen. The Chair of the Defence Committee has indicated that he intends to hold further inquiries. I welcome that and I hope that those who were in office at the time will welcome that scrutiny. President Macron’s state visit last week saw us secure historic agreements: co-ordinating our nuclear deterrents; a major investment in Sizewell C; and a landmark returns deal, which is a crucial next step in restoring order to our immigration system. Tomorrow I will host Chancellor Merz for further talks on our security and the economy. This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall have further such meetings later today.