Perhaps a distraction, but unrest in the HoC Defence Committee.
https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/l...s-long-summer/
POLITICO London Playbook:
THE MORNING AFTER: Tobias Ellwood is waking up to a no-confidence motion in his chairmanship of the Commons Defense Committee from MPs baffled by his video of Afghanistan. Ellwood deleted the clip from his Twitter on Wednesday night — telling TalkTV’s Piers Morgan: “I got it wrong.”
The night before: Fellow committee members went gunning for Ellwood after he released what one, Mark Francois, called a “silly and naive” video “lauding” Taliban rule. After it was raised at PMQs and derided by Afghan women. Ellwood told Morgan his point about re-engagement was taken out of context but “could have been much better done.”
The night just gone: Elwood posted a tweet and statement in the small hours in which he said “I don’t always get it right” and that he was sorry for his “poor communication.”
The problem is: It’s too late to withdraw the no-confidence motion — because it’s now been formally submitted, three people tell your author and my colleague Esther Webber. The motion, signed by Francois and three other members, is due to appear on the committee’s website later this morning. MailOnline got the first sniff before the Times reported the motion was on the way.
THESE GUYS KNOW HOW TO DO WAR: One snout tells Playbook there have been wider grumblings for a while at Ellwood’s high-profile musings as chair from some of his colleagues, who took the clip as their personal final straw. Matters worsened when he was notified of the plot against him but did not step aside on Wednesday, two people said. Playbook was unable to reach Ellwood for comment.
What happens now: Er, we wait. Erskine May says a no-confidence motion needs 10 sitting days’ notice, meaning it can only be debated in mid-September. To pass it needs at least half the committee including two Tories and one opposition MP. Plenty of time left in the trenches yet.