Douglas Alexander MP, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary, commenting on the Government’s announcement on Afghanistan today, said:
“There are serious questions to answer over the manner of this announcement and the fact it was not made to Parliament.

“It is a matter of continuing concern that the Prime Minister has not made a substantial statement on Afghanistan in the House since July last year.

“Despite the sacrifices our forces have made over the last ten years Afghanistan now risks becoming Britain’s invisible conflict.

“We now have an end date but the Government must focus its efforts in the months ahead on securing the necessary end state.”

Jim Murphy MP, Labour’s Shadow Defence Secretary, added:
“A strategy which has taken a decade to develop seems to have been rewritten in just a few hours overnight.

“The announcement in Washington appears to have caught David Cameron by surprise but that is no reason to keep the public in the dark about what has changed in Afghanistan to bring forward the date of withdrawal.

“We all want our Forces home as soon as possible but it should be based on the best available military advice and nothing else.

“The mission does not end with the departure of combat forces and we have not heard enough from Ministers about long-term plans for security in the country.”