The Defence Select Committee will launch a formal inquiry into the Afghan data leak that was kept from the public for more than two years under a superinjunction.
Tan Dhesi, the Labour chairman of the committee, told the BBC: "I'm not sure whether a public inquiry will or will not happen, but one thing you can rest assured on is that the defence committee has decided that we will be launching an inquiry to ascertain exactly what transpired here, given the serious ramifications on so many levels.
"We haven't set out the exact terms of reference, and we will be doing so straight after the recess as to who we will be calling up and how we want to get to the bottom of what has happened on behalf of Parliament, which, by the way, has been sidelined for too long on this issue, on behalf of the people."
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said that his Party would support efforts to hold a public inquiry.
Davey said: "He [Starmer] will have our support if he decides to pursue a public inquiry."
Downing Street did not rule out a public inquiry into the scheme during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
Asked if Sir Keir Starmer would consider holding a public inquiry into the scheme, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We obviously welcome public and parliamentary scrutiny of this issue, of how the decisions that led to this issue came about.”
The spokesman added: "For the first time, Parliament is now able to scrutinise this. I think it is right that Parliament is able to scrutinise this issue."
Kemi Badenoch opted against talking on the subject during PMQs but her spokesman has since acknowledged that her former colleagues should be grilled in Parliament over the Afghan super-injunction.
The spokesman said: "I think it's fair to say that if the defence select committee wants to look into this, then people should appear in front of it."
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Suella Braverman issues statement on Afghan data breach
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman has issued a statement on the Afghan data breach.
Braverman said on X that she opposed the Ministry of Defence's plans to bring in 24,000 Afghan nationals and was not involved in the decision or application to apply for a superinjunction.
She explained that she was "prohibited from speaking publicly about the specific issues" due to being a minister.
Braverman emphasised that she understands the anger and calls for the system that created this cover-up to be "dismantled".
Nigel Farage DEMANDS independent judge led inquiry
Nigel Farage has called for an independent judge-led inquiry into the Afghan data leak.
Taking to social media, the Reform UK leader wrote: "Reform UK demands an independent judge-led inquiry into what happened, who knew, and when."
Farage encouraged his followers to sign a petition to show their support.
Public inquiry into secret Afghanistan scheme NOT ruled out
Downing Street has not ruled out a public inquiry into the secret Afghan resettlement scheme during a press conference.
Asked if Sir Keir Starmer would consider holding a public inquiry into the scheme, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We obviously welcome public and parliamentary scrutiny of this issue, of how the decisions that led to this issue came about.”
The spokesman added: “For the first time, Parliament is now able to scrutinise this. I think it is right that Parliament is able to scrutinise this issue."
Keir Starmer left 'angry' over secret Afghanistan scheme
The Prime Minister was "angry" to learn about the secret Afghanistan scheme after taking office last summer, Downing Street has revealed.
John Healey, now Defence Secretary, had been briefed before the July election when Labour was still in opposition.
The Downing Street press secretary said: "The Prime Minister is angry at such a terrible breach that had such grave consequences being allowed to happen, which is why we’ve explained that there are questions that need to be answered by Conservative ministers."
No 10 argued that it was the correct decision to withhold the information from Starmer as the then Conservative Government decided who should be told on security grounds.
WATCH NOW: GB News political editor Christopher Hope breaks down the final PMQs before summer recess
Keir Starmer BLASTS Tories over water infrastructure amid draught warnings
Keir Starmer has criticised the Conservative Party for not building any new reservoirs whilst they were in office.
It comes amid a growing threat from droughts and heatwaves, forcing authorities across Britain to implement strict regional hosepipe bans.
Pippa Heylings, a Lib Dem MP, told the Prime Minister that "record-breaking heatwaves and drought" are worrying.
She said: "Does the prime minister agree with me that the water crisis in Greater Cambridge is a dealbreaker for the Government's growth plans?"
Starmer agreed that Heylings is "right to draw attention to the drought and the question more generally of reservoirs".
The Prime Minister said: "It is shocking that a new reservoir hasn't been built for a very, very long time. Not at all in the previous 14 years.
"We are rebuilding now, and we're doing that alongside the infrastructure and housing that we also need to build and will work across the house on that."
Labour MP FUMES at Keir Starmer over failure to impose sanctions on Israel
Labour MP for Bradford, Imran Hussain, has blasted the Prime Minister for failing to act while "Israel is starving Palestinian children".
He shouted: "Israel is killing Palestinian children as they queue for food - that is a war crime.
"Our government quite rightly imposes thousands of sanctions on Russia for its war crimes in Ukraine. How many more horrors must be witnessed before the prime minister acts with the same scale of sanctions against Israel to stop this genocide?"
Starmer said that he is "appalled" by reports of civilian casualties in Gaza.
The Prime Minister said: "Each of those incidents does need to be fully and transparently investigated with accountable for any failings."
"That, of course, has to be alongside the ceasefire that is desperately needed. We're working hard with others to release all of the hostages that remain, but also to protect civilians and get much more aid at speed and volume into Gaza."
‘Pack of lies!’ Tory MP tears into Keir Starmer’s ‘calamitous’ first year in No10 in fiery PMQs exchange
Ex-Net Zero Minister Graham Stuart has torn into Sir Keir Starmer after labelling the Prime Minister’s first year in No10 as “calamitous”.
Stuart accused Starmer of telling a “pack of lies” in his 2024 General Election manifesto.
He said: “With joblessness, inflation and debt ballooning, his personal ratings collapsing, and his backbenchers on a work to rule, could the Prime Minister recommend a summer recess read to take all of our minds away from this calamitous journey on which he and the Chancellor have embarked.”
The Prime Minister quipped that it appeared that most Tory MPs had already appeared to have jetted off on holiday, pointing to the increasingly barren benches behind Badenoch.
Keir Starmer REFUSES to rule out taxing pension contributions in Autumn Budget
Sir Keir Starmer has refused to rule out taxing pension contributions, sparking concerns that the Labour Government could be preparing to target retirement savings in the upcoming Autumn Budget.
Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions this afternoon, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch challenged the Prime Minister on the Chancellor’s recently announced review into pension contributions.
She asked directly: "We know the Chancellor is launching a review into pension contributions – is it because the Government is considering taxing them?"
But Starmer refused to give a clear answer, instead stating: "We made absolutely clear manifesto promises and I'm not going to write the Budget months ahead. I'm proud of the decisions we have already taken to invest in our NHS and public services."
Ed Davey calls for Afghan data breach inquiry
Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, says his party supports calls for an Afghan data breach inquiry.
Davey said: “Can I associate myself with the Prime Minister’s words about the shocking Afghan data breach under the previous government, kept secret for three years.
"He [Starmer] will have our support if he decides to pursue a public inquiry."
‘He doesn’t get it!' Kemi Badenoch eviscerates Keir Starmer’s record before issuing major economic warning
Kemi Badenoch has torn into Sir Keir Starmer’s record in No10 before issuing an ominous economic warning about what Labour could do next.
The Tory leader suggested Labour would hit workers with more tax rises in the Autumn budget and asked the Prime Minister to define Labour’s “working people” tax promise.
Starmer responded: “I think of the working people across this country who put in every day and don’t get back what they deserve. That is who we are working for... the sort of people that work hard but haven’t necessarily got the savings to buy themselves out of problems.”
‘Serious questions!’ Keir Starmer blasts Tories ‘failures’ over secret £850m Afghan leak
The Prime Minister has blasted Tories "failures" over secret £850m Afghan data breach.
Starmer said: "There has always been support across this House of 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 failing that we inherited.
"A major data breach. A super-injunction. A secret route that has already cost hundreds of millions of pounds. Ministers who served under the party opposite have serious questions to answer about how this was ever allowed to happen."
Keir Starmer braces for his last PMQs grilling before summer recess
Sir Keir Starmer is bracing for his last Prime Minister’s Questions showdown with Kemi Badenoch before the summer recess.
The clash comes just hours after details of the Afghan data breach "cover-up” were revealed after the public were kept out of the loop for two years by a super-injunction.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is also expected to face heavy criticism after UK inflation figures showed a slight increase to 3.6 per cent in June.
The increase renews pressure on the Bank of England to keep interest rates elevated, but experts believe they may still be tipped to cut the rate next month.
Suella Braverman's husband has QUIT Reform UK
Rael Braverman has left Reform UK after defecting to the party less than a year ago.
The husband of former Home Secretary Suella Braverman left the Conservative Party in December 2024 to join Nigel Farage's Party.
In a statement published to his X account, Braverman wrote: "I have left Reform effective immediately."
His wife remains an MP for the Tory Party.
Liz Kendall accused of ignoring disabled people before publishing reforms
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has been accused of ignoring disabled people before publishing plans to reform health and disability benefits and employment support ahead of the Benefits Bill.
Kendall denies these accusations, arguing she consulted "with parliament" and had roundtables with disabled people and organisations.
Lib Dem MP Steve Darling, who is registered blind, quizzed the MP in a tense exchange on the Government's publication of the green paper.
Darling was seen shaking his head with annoyance during the interaction.
The minister is speaking to the Work and Pensions Committee following the heavily watered-down benefits bill being voted through Parliament.
John Healey concludes 'it is highly unlikely' data leak victims are more at risk of being targeted
Defence Secretary John Healey has concluded that it is highly unlikely that those named in the Ministry of Defence data leak will be more at risk of being targeted in Afghanistan.
Healey told GB News: "The important step that I've been able to take off the back of an independent review that I commissioned is a fresh look at the situation in Afghanistan now, nearly four years on from the Taliban takeover, which identifies and concludes it's highly unlikely that simply being a name on this data set increases the risk of being targeted in Afghanistan.
"And it's on that basis that I published the report. I've ended this special secret scheme. I've disclosed this data breach and importantly, allowed the judge to respond to my application to have the super injunction lifted so the British people deserve answers, and from today they can start to get them."
The Defence Secretary also highlighted that the superinjunction was lifted to allow more transparency with the British public.
WATCH FULL: John Healey grilled by GB News after 'secret' Afghan resettlement scheme
WATCH NOW: Sir Ed Davey speaks to Eamonn and Nana on GB News Breakfast
Tories fire back against Zia Yusuf over secret Afghan resettlement attack
Zia Yusuf is doing “serious damage” to Reform UK by attacking the Tories for treason over the Afghan resettlement scheme, a top Conservative insider has claimed.
Yusuf, who was described by the source as a “political novice”, last night launched a social media blitz against top Tories, including Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick.
However, the Tory insider suggested Yusuf’s comments were threatening to create a rift between Reform and Nigel Farage’s natural allies within the Conservative Party.
A Reform source, who admitted the party’s grassroots is split on certain Conservatives such as Suella Braverman, responded: "Everyone is very keen and happy to shame the Tories for what they have done as it's a national embarrassment."
Katherine Forster provides the latest update on the massive data leak which put thousands of Afghans lives at risk
Katherine Forster provides the latest update on the massive data leak which put thousands of Afghans lives at risk
'I'm outraged!' Davey questions who the super-injection was protecting
Sir Ed Davey questioned who the Afghan super-injection was protecting after thousands of Afghans were forced to be relocated to the UK as part of a secret scheme set up after a personal data leak on who supported British forces.
The breach led to the establishment of a covert Afghan relocation scheme, known as the Afghanistan Response Route, in April 2024.
GB News can now report the leak after an unprecedented superinjunction was lifted by judges at the High Court.
Speaking on GB News Breakfast, the Liberal Democrat leader said: "I think, like everyone else, I'm outraged. It's a total incompetence by the last Government.
"If you remember, go back to when they, with President Biden took troops out of Afghanistan, that shocking retreat from Kabul, which was bad for the British army, but it was also bad for those Afghans who fought alongside our troops who'd been translators for our troops. We owed them a duty. But instead of that, the Government made this huge mistake.
"Someone in the Ministry of Defence made this huge mistake and put lives at risk. I'm waiting to see an apology. Who did it? Who's taking the rap for that?
"Now, there might have been justification for a little bit to protect the lives of Afghans and their families, people who fought side by side with British troops. But the real question, I think, is really disturbing many people in Westminster, is how long that super injunction was kept? Who was it protecting?
"I think by the end of it, it was protecting ministers, not Afghans."
'It's too high!' Mel Stride reacts to a rise in inflation
Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride tells GB News that the latest UK inflation figures were too high.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirmed that the Consumer Prices Index rose to 3.6 per cent in June, up from 3.4 per cent in May.
The increase surprised City economists, who had expected inflation to remain unchanged.
Stride told the People's Channel: "The reason it's too high, remember it was about half that under the last Government, we got it down to about two per cent, is that the Government's been out there borrowing and spending vast amounts of money. That has been stoking inflation.
"What that means is interest rates being higher for longer, which is going to be felt through people's mortgages, business borrowing costs and also the servicing costs of our national debt that this Government is ever adding to, which is running at about £100 billion a year, which is twice what we spend on defence. So the wrong economic decisions lead to higher inflation."