Tobias Ellwood quits prestigious defence job after fury over ‘Taliban propaganda’ video
EX-SOLDIER Tobias Ellwood today quit his high-profile role as Chair of the Commons Defence Committee.
The MP for Bournemouth East had sparked fury in July after posting a bizarre video on Twitter, now known as X, praising the Taliban.
Mr Ellwood described Afghanistan under Taliban rule as a “country transformed” and claimed “security has vastly improved, corruption is down and the opium trade has all but disappeared”.
In response, outraged MPs on the Defence Committee plotted to oust him as chair.
This evening the ex-minister chose to resign rather than face a humiliating no-confidence defeat.
MPs will now be given the chance to vote for a new committee chair to replace him.
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In December last year barbaric Taliban chiefs banned women from attending school.
They also ordered hair and beauty salons in Afghanistan to shut in mid-July and banned women from sitting university entrance exams.
But Mr Ellwood, who visited the country, nonetheless said: “During my visit last week, I witnessed something I did not expect to see – an eerie calm and a visible change in security, corruption and opium growth which I felt obliged to report.”
Following major backlash that crossed political divides, the ex-minister apologised for his words.
He said: “I stand up, I speak my mind. I try and find solutions especially on the international stage, and I’m very, very sorry that my reflection of my visit could have been much better worded and have been taken out of context.”
Mr Ellwood has been contacted for comment.