QUOTES OF THE DAY

“The truth is, across the world, people were caught by surprise. I haven’t spoken to an international interlocutor, including countries in the region over the last week, who hasn’t been surprised”

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.

“There are a number of people in Afghanistan, Afghans, to whom we owe an obligation and we must get them out just as quickly and as safely as possible. We should be broad in that. They have given up a huge amount for us and we owe them that obligation, everybody understands that”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer on whether there should be a limit on the number of refugees from Afghanistan.

“When the pandemic came out, I just felt led to do something because I knew something bad was on the rise and I just kind of wanted to help with that, so I donated to help with that. So, mine was a small part, of course, but I probably get a lot more credit than I deserve, but I was happy to be part of that, and to be able to try to stop something in its tracks that’s really just become such a monster for all of us”

Singer Dolly Parton on helping to fund the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine.