MPs packed the House of Commons for the first time since Covid gripped the UK after social distancing rules were relaxed.
Parliament was recalled on Wednesday amid a human rights and refugee crisis after allied forces' withdrawal from Afghanistan saw the Taliban's lightning return to power.
And it marked the first time in 17 months that Parliament was filled with MPs, with the two-metre rule and the need to wear face masks finally axed.
While most MPs on the Labour and opposition benches kept wearing face coverings most on the Tory benches did not.
Boris Johnson’s spokesman said there had been no change to the request to wear masks in enclosed spaces - despite Tory MPs refusing to don them today.
The PM’s spokesman said: “The arrangements for the House are a matter for parliamentary authorities. Masks are not a mandatory requirement.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under increasing pressure after several reports of human rights abuses in Afghanistan and desperate scenes at Kabul international airport as Afghans tried to leave the country.
Labour leader Keir Starmer said “it’s been a disastrous week, an unfolding tragedy” in Afghanistan.
Describing some of the conditions in Afghanistan prior to the intervention in 2001, he added: “Since then a fragile democracy emerged. It was by no means perfect, but no international terrorist attacks have been mounted from Afghanistan in that period, women have gained liberty and won office.
“Schools and clinics have been built, and Afghans have allowed themselves to dream of a better future.
“Those achievements were born of sacrifice, sacrifice by the Afghan people, who bravely fought alongside their Nato allies, and British sacrifice, over 150,000 UK personnel have served in Afghanistan, including members across this House.”
Tory backbenchers laid into the PM, saying the UK had abandoned Afghans after 20 years and expressing anger that Taliban forces were able to remove the western-backed government in a matter of days.
Mr Johnson told the Commons the takeover “unfolded” faster “than even the Taliban predicted”, but said this had not caught the Government “unawares”.
The Prime Minister said: “I think it would be fair to say that the events in Afghanistan have unfolded and the collapse has been faster than even the Taliban themselves predicated.
“What is not true is to say the UK Government was unprepared or did not foresee this.
“It was certainly part of our planning – the very difficult logistical operation for the withdrawal of UK nationals has been under preparation for many months, and I can tell the House that the decision to commission the emergency handling centre at the airport took place two weeks ago.”
