Latest news with #CarlDinnen
ITV News
18-07-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Former Afghan army officer says UK data breach put his life ‘more at risk' from the Taliban
A superinjunction was issued by the High Court to try to stop the Taliban from discovering the leak, as ITV News Political Correspondent Carl Dinnen explains A former Afghan army officer who worked with UK military advisors and Nato during the war has told ITV News the Government data breach has made his life harder and left him "more at risk". After working in what he described as a 'dangerous' role for the UK military, he was left behind, like many others, during Britain's chaotic evacuation from Kabul in August 2021. To support those left behind and at serious risk from the Taliban, the government launched the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap), which offers relocation to the UK for those who qualify. But in February 2022, a defence official accidentally released a dataset containing the personal details of nearly 19,000 Arap applicants. The Ministry of Defence only became aware of the breach in August 2023, when parts of the dataset were anonymously posted in a Facebook group. A superinjunction was issued by the High Court to try to stop the Taliban from discovering the leak. That injunction was lifted on Tuesday after a review. Those affected were contacted by email and warned of the potential danger. ITV News has spoken to a man who fled Afghanistan to protect himself and his family while on the run from the Taliban. For security reasons, we cannot reveal his exact role. He told us that despite taking precautions since 2021, the data leak has made his life even harder. "The UK Government's data breach has made things even harder. It exposed my personal information, making me and others even more at risk," he said. Though he added that even with "all his suffering," he does not regret helping the UK mission. He said that when the Taliban took over in 2021, they came to his home three times looking for him. Fearing for his life, he said he had 'no choice' but to flee to another country. Now on the run, he said: "I'm jobless. I do heavy jobs like truck loading and other things, just to buy food and pay rent." He hopes, like others, that he will receive an offer to relocate to the UK under the Arap.
ITV News
30-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
School children to be taught importance of the armed forces under new government plans
Children in Britain will be taught about the importance of the armed forces in school under new government plans. The proposal, first reported by the Telegraph, is part of the government's strategic defence review which is due to be published on Monday. It will recommend that state school students should be taught the value of the military, to help young people learn about careers in defence, and to boost their connection with the armed forces in an increasingly insecure world. The plans include a suggestion army reservists could visit schools and speak to children about working in the military. From Westminster to Washington DC - our political experts are across all the latest key talking points. Listen to the latest episode below... While the review doesn't suggest the lessons will be part of the curriculum, they are expected to be delivered through PSHE lessons. The Telegraph reports officials hope the scheme can be rolled out nationally from primary schools through to secondary schools. The plans are meant to help tackle the recruitment and retention crisis in the military - the Army, Navy, and Air Force are all currently below their targets for personnel numbers. Last April the size of the army fell below 73,000, the lowest level since the early 1800s. The strategic defence review was launched by the Labour government shortly after the election, designed to usher in a "new era for defence" in an time of global instability. The prime minister announced in February that the UK would increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, funded by a cut in the overseas aid budget. As ITV News Political Correspondent Carl Dinnen reported last week, the review will call for much greater investment in hi-tech weaponry, particularly drone and anti-drone systems, a shift that is already underway as a result of the war in Ukraine. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced this week they will spend over £ 1 billion on AI and drone technology to speed up decisions on the battlefield. Some commitments - such as the nuclear deterrent, NATO membership and support for Ukraine - are baked into the review's parameters. The reviewers have also been asked to look at how to reinforce UK homeland security with reports that a civilian 'Home Guard', separate from the Reserves, will be among the recommendations. Unusually for a defence review, the key work has been done independently of the Ministry of Defence by the former NATO Secretary-General and Defence Secretary Lord Robertson, former Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Richard Barrons, and Dr Fiona Hill, who advised Donald Trump on European and Russian affairs during his first term.
