Pressure is mounting on Dominic Raab to either resign or be sacked after he failed to make a crucial phone call about rescuing Afghan translators while on holiday in Crete.
Mr Raab faces widespread calls to quit after he was 'too busy' to urgently help translators flee Afghanistan, reports The Mirror.
He was told speed was of the essence to speak with Afghan foreign minister Hanif Atmar about assisting in the evacuation of interpreters from the country - without passports or visas if necessary.
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In a message sent last Friday and seen by the Daily Mail, senior officials said: “We recommend the Foreign Secretary urgently calls the Afghan foreign minister Hanif Atmar.”
But instead they were reportedly told he wasn’t free and the task was delegated to the junior minister, Tory peer Zac Goldsmith.
Mr Raab was asked by reporters today if he would resign but he answered: “No.”
Defence secretary, Ben Wallace has defended Mr Raab’s actions claiming: “The Afghan government was melting away faster than ice and no phone call would have made the slightest difference at that time.”
However, he has been heavily criticised by many.
Lisa Nandy, Labour's shadow foreign secretary, said: "How can Boris Johnson allow the Foreign Secretary to continue in his role after yet another catastrophic failure of judgement?
“If Dominic Raab doesn't have the decency to resign, the Prime Minister must show a shred of leadership and sack him."
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “He couldn’t even make one phone call? Why is he still in the job this morning?”
Labour leader Keir Starmer said: "Who wouldn't make a phone call if they were told it could save somebody's life?"
Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesperson Layla Moran said: "Dominic Raab must resign today.
"If he does not, the Prime Minister should finally show some leadership, and sack him."
SNP Westminster Leader Ian Blackford said: "Tory ministers cannot wash their hands of responsibility for this foreign policy disaster.
"Dominic Raab has failed to perform his basic duties as Foreign Secretary, and he has put people's lives at risk. His position is completely untenable and he must resign, or be sacked."
Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader, Liz Saville Roberts said: “The Foreign Secretary and the life-saving phone call he didn’t make: a failure of political judgement, a shoulder-shrug to duty and a callous lack of humanity. He failed to make the right call. The Foreign Secretary no longer commands respect following his mishandling of duties during the Afghanistan emergency. Dominic Raab should resign or be removed from post.”
Former ITV presenter Piers Morgan tweeted: “Raab’s been a total shambles in this crisis, and now this. He should resign.”
Former top prosecutor Nazir Afzal added: “This is a serious dereliction of duty, if true, & Raab should resign.
“People who served the U.K effort may have lost their lives as a result.”
Labour's leader Keir Starmer yesterday told the Commons: "You cannot co-ordinate an international response from the beach!"
A furious-looking Mr Raab shook his head and asked what Labour's leader would have done differently.
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