Inside Politics: Rockets fired at Kabul airport as Raab to meet G7 counterparts

*Inside Politics first appeared in our daily newsletter at 8am*

UK troops have left Kabul but questions remain over the plight of those who have been left behind. Amid reports that several rockets have been fired at the capital’s airport, Boris Johnson and other ministers are coming under increasing pressure to set out how they will ensure a safe escape route for the Britons and Afghans who didn’t make it out. Dominic Raab today holds talks with other leaders about how to deal with the new regime. And in some more light-hearted news, Michael Gove has been out raving in Scotland.

Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, and other officials today hold talks with international partners about how best to deal with Afghanistan’s new regime. Raab speaks with his G7 counterparts, Nato, Qatar and Turkey.

Coming up:

-Foreign Office minister James Cleverly on LBC radio at 7.50am

-Shadow foreign office minister Stephen Kinnock on talkRADIO at 8.33am

FRESH ATTACK: Days after US President Joe Biden warned of another attack, the security situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate. There are reports this morning that rockets have been fired at Kabul airport amid the ongoing US troop withdrawal. Witnesses told the Reuters news agency the rockets struck Kabul’s Salim Karwan neighbourhood on Monday morning. It was not immediately clear who fired the rockets and the BBC reports they were intercepted by a missile defence system. Gunfire immediately followed the explosions but it wasn’t clear who was firing, Reuters said.

ISIS-K HIT: The attack comes just hours after US forces launched a drone strike targeting an “imminent Isis-K threat” near Kabul airport on Sunday as Britain withdrew its remaining troops. Witnesses said the strike hit two cars parked close to a residential building near the airport. An Afghan official said that three children had died in the attack. A senior US official said the military drone fired a Hellfire missile at a vehicle in a compound between two buildings after individuals were seen loading explosives into the boot of the vehicle.

FINAL WITHDRAWAL: The final withdrawal of British troops on Sunday marked the end of a two-decades-long campaign in Afghanistan. In a video message uploaded to Twitter as the remaining troops left, Johnson thanked the armed forces for their services. “They have expended all the patience and care and thought they possess to help people in fear for their lives,” he said. “They’ve seen at first hand barbaric terrorist attacks on the queues of people they were trying to comfort, as well as on our American friends. They didn’t flinch. They kept calm. They got on with the job.”

‘ASLEEP ON WATCH’: His comments came as a former head of the British army accused the government of being “asleep on watch” in relation to the protection of Afghans who helped UK soldiers and officials. General Lord Richard Dannatt said the government’s approach was “unfathomable” after the PM expressed regret that some people eligible to be evacuated could be left behind in the hurried evacuation. Labour leader Keir Starmer also paid tribute to the armed forces, who helped to airlift some 15,000 people out of Kabul. He called on the government to “urgently set out a plan for those left behind.”

UC VOTE: Away from Afghanistan, the PM could face a Commons vote on planned cuts to universal credit two days after MPs return from summer recess, The Independent understands. According to the provisional business papers for the Commons, the government has earmarked it could be after prime minister’s questions on 8 September for an opposition day debate. A source said Labour was “likely” to force a vote on the issue, but this hasn’t been officially confirmed by the party yet. Another source added: “If the government won’t backtrack, we’ve said we’ll look at any route we can to give Conservative MPs the choice to either stand up for the constituents or help Boris Johnson inflict this devastating cut on millions of families.”

RAVER GOVE: In some more light-hearted news to ease you into this bank holiday Monday, Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, has been spotted raving in Scotland. The 54-year-old was pictured in a suit dancing into the wee hours at Bohemia, a techno club in his home city of Aberdeen over the weekend. Partygoers said they “couldn’t believe” what they were seeing, with some even asking the Tory MP for photos. A claim that Gove tried to avoid paying the £5 entry charge by repeatedly stating that he was the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster was rejected by friends of the minister.

“I mean, you might remember, back in July, 45 senior officers wrote to the government, an open letter to the government, saying there are people we are concerned about and if we don’t do the right thing, their blood will be on our hands. It is unfathomable why it would appear that the government was asleep on watch.”

General Lord Richard Dannatt on government’s handling of Afghanistan crisis.

“Seen some strange videos over the years but this is one of the stranger ones.”

Financial Times chief political correspondent Jim Packard on footage of Gove dancing in a nightclub.