Britain has opened its arms to the Afghans who served with our soldiers – we must not betray them
For the first time in history the government used a super-injunction to gag the UK press – and did so for almost two years.
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Keeping secrets to save lives is justified.
Keeping secrets to spare blushes is disgraceful.
It is how dictatorships behave.
This government and its predecessor both concealed an email leak which put up to 100,000 Afghans at risk of Taliban death squads.
They claimed it was out of concern for the Afghans.
But if the really cared about those Afghans they would have informed them about the leak immediately, in 2022.
Yet most of the 19,000 people whose names were leaked only found out yesterday – after all the schemes to save from the Taliban have already been closed down.
It is yet another betrayal.
The governments' real fear was riots and unrest at home – protests over more refugees.
They underestimate people.
This country has opened its arms, quite rightly, to the Afghans who served with our soldiers during our 20 year campaign.
We must not betray them again.
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