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Tom Tugendhat today slammed senior civil servants and ministers for going on holiday during the Afghanistan crisis as he grilled the Government's National Security Adviser.
The senior Tory MP clashed with Sir Stephen Lovegrove as he demanded answers on why 'various senior officials stayed on holiday' as the Taliban seized control of the country.
Mr Tugendhat asked Sir Stephen if he would 'expect a platoon commander to go on holiday just before the whistle went' or a general to 'stay on holiday at a time of a major operation'.
Sir Stephen defended the response to the crisis as he insisted there are 'structures' in place across Whitehall 'which allow for the continuity of senior leadership'.
Tom Tugendhat today slammed senior civil servants and ministers for going on holiday during the Afghanistan crisis as he grilled the Government's National Security Adviser
Sir Stephen Lovegrove defended the response to the crisis as he insisted there are 'structures' in place across Whitehall 'which allow for the continuity of senior leadership'
Mr Tugendhat questioned Sir Stephen on the Government's Afghanistan response as the latter gave evidence to Parliament's National Security Strategy (Joint Committee).
Then-foreign secretary Dominic Raab has already been heavily criticised for his holiday in Crete as the Taliban swept across Afghanistan.
But Mr Tugendhat today questioned why other senior figures in relevant departments were also away.
He said: 'I am very pleased at the list of engagements and plans and meetings and NSCs and NSCOs that you have just described.
'I am slightly