Inside Politics: Troops going to Afghanistan and six killed in Plymouth

Silly season. It’s that time of the year again. A “huge cat” has reportedly been spotted lurking in the countryside near Peterborough, sparking fears that a “panther may be on the loose”. Locals claim the creature was “5ft long” and prowling farmland in Rutland. Back in the bubble, chancellor Rishi Sunak insists he’s not stalking down his boss Boris Johnson for the top job, telling broadcasters yesterday he and the PM are “united” on spending pledges. In more serious developments, British troops are being sent to Afghanistan as the Taliban continues to make gains and six people have been shot dead in Plymouth.

Parliament is in recess.

Coming up shortly:

-Former veterans minister Johnny Mercer on Times Radio Breakfast at 8.35am

-Tory MP and foreign affairs committee chair Tom Tugendhat on talkRADIO at 8.50am

AFGHAN NIGHTMARE: A sombre start to the end of the week. There are two major stories dominating the news agenda today. The first concerns Afghanistan, where the country’s nightmare goes on as the Taliban continues to make significant gains across the country. The militants have taken Herat and Kandahar, the second largest city in Afghanistan’s south, and are said to have cut off supply lines to capital Kabul, where 600 British paratroopers are being sent to bring home embassy staff as well as other UK and Afghan citizens. The US is also sending in soldiers amid fears Kabul could fall within 30 days. Announcing the move last night, the UK government said it hopes the operation will be finished by September, some 20 years on from 9/11. “The security of British nationals, British military personnel and former Afghan staff is our first priority,” Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, said. “We must do everything we can to ensure their safety.” Reports coming through in the past hour suggest Taliban fighters have now taken Lashkar Gah.

PLYMOUTH GUN HORROR: The second story is the harrowing news that six people have been shot dead in Plymouth after a gunman opened fire. Others were treated in hospital for injuries although police say the incident is not terror-related. Luke Pollard, the local Labour MP, says a 10-year-old child is among the deceased. “I’m utterly devastated that one of the people killed in the #keyham shooting was a child under ten years old,” he wrote on Twitter early this morning. According to the Mail, the gunman, who is one of the dead, turned the weapon on himself after the shootings. The paper says several of his relatives are among the victims.

MIND THE GAP PART 2: It was another record day for GCSE results yesterday, with top grades (7/As and above) rising to 28.9 per cent – up from 26.2 per cent last year. Students got teacher assessed grades after exams were cancelled for the second consecutive year, in what has been an incredibly difficult period for young people and their learning. As was the case following Tuesday’s A-level results, the results showed a “worrying” divide between state and private schools and those on free school meals and their more privileged peers, experts said.

CAB FOR GAV: Starmer started Thursday calling for the sacking of Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, and ramped up the pressure throughout the day as he sounded the alarm over widening education inequality. “What I want to see is a first-class education for every child, whoever they are and wherever they come from,” the Labour leader said. “What we have seen today is baked in inequality – the gap between those going to private schools and going to state schools has got bigger, rather than smaller. For Gavin Williamson and the government, on the issue of tackling inequality, they just got a U, and I just think that’s completely unacceptable.” He claimed the widening attainment gap is the result of “11 years of Tory unfairness.” The education congratulated thanked teachers and students alike for their achievements.

FENCE SITTING?: After being accused of sitting on the fence over the new North Sea oil field off the coast of Shetland, Nicola Sturgeon is attempting to shift the focus back to Johnson. Scotland’s first minister has called on the PM to “reassess” plans for the new Cambo site following an outcry by climate campaigners. In a letter to the PM, the SNP leader said the UK government should reconsider drilling licenses for the waters around Shetland where no development had yet taken place. Ultimately the power lies with Westminster on this one. Sturgeon has been less than forthcoming in her opposition, although activists’ welcomed yesterday’s intervention.

“For Gavin Williamson and the government, on the issue of tackling inequality, they just got a U, and I think that is completely unacceptable. When inequality goes up in education then it’s pretty astonishing that the education secretary is still in post. If he won’t resign the prime minister should get rid of him.”

Starmer on education inequality.

“Reassess is still pretty on the fence. Will everyone be satisfied or will green activists see it as too wooly and industry get spooked at the same time?”

The Times’s Scotland political editor Kieran Andrews on Sturgeon Cambo oil field comments.