London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2025

‘That’s bo***ks’: UK Defence chief rubbishes claim marine-turned-campaigner was abandoned in Kabul with staff and rescue animals

‘That’s bo***ks’: UK Defence chief rubbishes claim marine-turned-campaigner was abandoned in Kabul with staff and rescue animals

The British defence secretary has weighed in on an argument between the ministry of defence and a former marine, now a charity worker, who claims he’s been abandoned in Kabul with his team and rescue animals.
“That’s bo***ks,” Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told LBC’s Nick Ferrari on Tuesday, after the presenter relayed former Royal Marine Pen Farthing’s complaints that the ministry of defence (MoD) had abandoned him in Afghanistan.

Wallace said he strongly advised that Farthing make his way to Kabul airport and take a route out, adding that his advisers do not stop anyone from leaving Afghanistan.

The defence secretary also insisted that Kabul airport was being run by the Americans and that the UK had to use its limited resources to prioritise humans over animals. Wallace added that Farthing had made contact on Friday regarding an evacuation offer and that his wife had taken it, leaving the country that same day.

“I have some really desperate people in that queue who are really under threat of life and death and if we don't get them out, their future is very bleak. I simply have to prioritise those people over pets,” the minister stated.

Farthing, 52, a former royal marine, had hoped to be evacuated on a privately rented plane with his charity’s 25 staff as well as their rescue dogs and cats.

He said the UK government had supported visas for all of his staff and their dependents but now claims his flight has been blocked and that he was cut off from the MoD helpline.

“We've got a privately funded plane that can take 250 passengers out, 69 of them would be me and the staff, but we've got an empty cargo hold. I don't understand the problems here, I'm not asking the MoD to give me a plane I just need to have a call sign,” he told Good Morning Britain.

He now claims he has been abandoned in Afghanistan and won’t be able to get his team or animals back to safety. He signed off a tweet on Monday evening by ironically thanking Prime Minister Boris Johnson. “22 year Marine left behind lines.. neither my staff or animals will now get out - cheers @BorisJohnson”

According to Wallace, the UK has evacuated 2,000 people in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 8,600 in the last 10 days.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×