Boris Johnson under pressure to take in more refugees from Afghanistan

Boris Johnson is coming under pressure to set up a new resettlement scheme for Afghan refugees.

The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan is almost certainly going to lead to a crisis as people flee the country. 

On Monday, the SNP called for a four-nations summit with the UK Government to discuss refugee resettlement.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said the UK had an obligation to take in more refugees.

He said: “The appalling situation in Afghanistan is one of the biggest foreign policy failures in modern times – and the UK Government bears its share of responsibility.

"Scotland stands ready to play its full part in resettling refugees and tackling the humanitarian crisis. It is vital that the UK Government works with the devolved governments and shows leadership, including by opening our doors and providing safe routes for resettlement.

"Canada has already committed to resettle more than 20,000 vulnerable Afghans, including women leaders, human rights workers and reporters. There is no question that the UK must also commit to leadership on this scale.

"The Tory government's cuts to international aid must be reversed and the UK must play a leading role in funding and supporting humanitarian efforts to save lives, promote peace and protect human rights, especially those of women and girls, with a specific fund dedicated to the Afghanistan humanitarian crisis.

"The immediate priority must be to do everything we can to protect lives, but in time there must also be a chance to review how the UK's involvement in Afghanistan went so badly wrong. The UK Government must commit to a future judge-led inquiry into the war in Afghanistan to ensure full scrutiny, accountability and lessons learned."

Reports this morning suggest the plan to resettle Afghan refugees will be similar to the scheme used to bring tens of thousands of Syrians to Britain.

The safe, legal and direct route separate from the usual asylum system will be intended particularly for women and girls, according to the government sources. 

Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, said yesterday that the UK was a “big-hearted nation” and was “looking very carefully at what kind of further commitment we might make”.

He said the UK would “make very clear to the Taliban that we will hold them to account on their commitment to never allow Afghanistan to be used as a base for terror, to hold a more inclusive government and to protect the most essential human rights — including protecting the rights of women”.