The Taliban have executed three women in Kabul. They were caught protesting. A rare act of defiance. Now, Downing Street is scrambling.
I’m hearing from a Foreign Office source: “This is a line crossed. We cannot look away.” But what can they do? The UK’s leverage in Kabul is non-existent. Sanctions? Already in place. Diplomatic isolation? The Taliban don’t care.
This is a test for Starmer. The Labour left will demand action. The Tory right will call him weak. He’s stuck between a rock and a hard place. Expect a statement today. It will be strong on condemnation, short on specifics.
Let’s be clear: This execution changes nothing on the ground. The Taliban consolidate power. Women disappear. The West watches. A grim pattern.
My sources say the PM’s team is drafting a response. It will include the word “barbaric.” It will not include a plan. Because there is no plan. Not a good one anyway.
The real question: Does this break the political consensus on Afghanistan? For years, both parties agreed: No troops, no engagement. But executions? That shifts the Overton window. Watch for backbench pressure.
I’ve been around long enough to know. This story will dominate the news cycle. Then it will fade. The Taliban will execute again. The West will condemn again. A grim loop.
But today, Downing Street is angry. Actually angry. They feel powerless. And that’s the most dangerous emotion in politics.
More follows. I’m told the PM will be briefed in the next hour. I’ll have more then.
For now, the dead women have no names. The regime has no remorse. The West has no strategy. That’s the story.
