British MP Tobias Ellwood has resigned as the head of a Commons committee following a backlash over his praise of the Taliban.
In a video posted on social media in July, conservative politician Tobias Ellwood described Afghanistan as a “changed country” after the Taliban takeover in August 2021, according to Arab News.
He said after his visit to Afghanistan that “security has improved a lot, corruption has decreased, and the opium trade has decreased.”
The former defence minister made little mention of women’s rights, which have been reduce to nothing under the Taliban regime.
Ellwood’s comments were condemn by several members of the cross-party defence select, including Afghan women, veterans, and some conservative peers.
He resigned on Wednesday, when a no-confidence vote was expect, The Guardian newspaper report.
The no-confidence motion was table by four of his fellow committee members. The Conservative Mark Francois, the former Armed Forces Minister Richard Drakes, and Labour MPs Kevin Jones and Derek Twigg.
In announcing his resignation, British MP Tobias Ellwood admitted that his communication during the commentary was poor.
He said that although he believe he still had the support of the majority of committee members. It would be disastrous to continue as its chairperson.
“It believe that I have a strong voice when it comes to defence and security. I say what I think. I don’t always get it right, so when it’s not right, I give up.’
Tobias Ellwood tried to end the controversy in July by deleting the video. And issuing an apology, saying that ‘my visit could have been portraye in better words. And taken out of context. has been done.’
Mark Francois, one of the authors of the no-confidence motions, told a Commons committee in July that he was “absolutely stunne” by a video praising the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan.
“They didn’t mention that they were still trying to identify and kill Afghan civilians supporting NATO forces. And they didn’t mention the fact that they don’t like girls going to school.”
Tobias Ellwood’s replacement on the committee will be chose in a secret ballot of all MPs.
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