Tobias Ellwood: Senior Tory MP who appeared to reward Taliban in video faces being ousted from function

A senior Tory MP faces being ousted from his function as a parliamentary committee chair after he posted a video wherein he appeared to reward the Taliban’s management in Afghanistan.

Four members of the Commons Defence Committee have tabled a movement of no confidence in Tobias Ellwood: Labour MPs Kevan Jones and Derek Twigg, together with Conservative MPs Mark Francois and Richard Drax.

Mr Jones advised Sky News: “This is not the first time that Tobias Ellwood has made statements which don’t reflect the committee’s stance. This one is beyond the pale.”

It is the primary time that the supply to take away a committee chair has been used because it was launched in 2010.

The vote is anticipated to happen on 14 September.

The committee has 11 members in whole, that means six votes can be wanted to take away him.

Sky News understands the MPs advised him to face down or they’d desk the no confidence movement.

Mr Ellwood apologised this morning after posting the video on social media earlier this week.

Parliament sits for closing day earlier than summer season recess – politics newest

Posting the video – which was retweeted by the Taliban’s official spokesman – Mr Ellwood mentioned this “war-weary nation” was now “accepting a more authoritarian leadership in exchange for stability”.

The senior Conservative, whose brother was killed by Islamist extremists, urged the UK to reopen its embassy in Afghanistan – saying: “If the EU’s embassy can open up, so can ours.”

Mr Ellwood additionally drew criticism when he mentioned: “Shouting from afar will not improve women’s rights.”

He confronted a right away backlash over his feedback – with former cupboard minister Jacob Rees-Mogg saying it was “foolish and ill-advised” and “could have been issued by the Afghan tourist board”.

Fellow defence committee member Mark Francois mentioned the video as “utterly bizarre” – and mentioned one in every of his colleagues had described it as a “wish you were here” video.

“He made no mention of the fact that the Taliban are still attempting to identify and kill Afghan citizens who helped our Armed Forces, and also makes no specific mention of the fact that young girls in Afghanistan don’t even have the right to go to school under that government,” Mr Francois mentioned.

“I wish to make plain, on behalf of the committee, he was speaking for himself, even though he used the title of chairman of our committee in a number of associated articles. Not in our name.”

Mr Ellwood mentioned the reflections from his “personal visit” might have been higher worded.

He added: “I am sorry for my poor communication.

“I rise up, communicate my thoughts, attempt to see the larger image and provide options, particularly on the worldwide stage, as our world turns a harmful nook. I do not at all times get it proper.”

But he appeared to defend some of his initial thoughts – reiterating that “our present technique of shouting from afar, after abruptly abandoning the nation in 2021, isn’t working”.

Mr Ellwood argued: “My easy name to motion was to see our embassy reopen once more and pursue a extra direct technique to assist the 40 million folks we deserted.”

Read extra:
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Nearly 80 schoolgirls poisoned in Afghanistan

NATO left Afghanistan practically two years in the past in a chaotic withdrawal that noticed the Taliban take again energy within the nation.

Since its return, the Taliban has reinstated bans on schooling for women – and launched legal guidelines stopping girls from going to work.

The group has additionally banned girls’s magnificence salons, and prevented girls from being in public areas corresponding to parks and gymnasiums.