Raab claims the PM said he could stay on holiday as Kabul fell

The Dominic Raab saga continues, with the Foreign Secretary still refusing to jump and Boris Johnson showing no inclination to push him.

Here’s the potted catch-up – or ‘Previously on Shit’s Crete‘ –

Raab came under fire for staying on holiday in Crete after the fall of Kabul to the Taliban.

Reports followed that he had refused to make a call to try and help evacuate interpreters who had worked with the US and the UK, and would therefore be in great danger under the new regime.

It was initially suggested that Raab had delegated the call to a junior member of the FO, but later revealed that the call hadn’t, in fact, been made.

The political soap opera has provided ample fodder for Twitter’s news watchers.

How it started: how it’s going. pic.twitter.com/wiKvX4x4vM

— Stephen Mangan (@StephenMangan) August 20, 2021

I was staying at the same hotel as Dominic Raab and trust me he was on his phone all day, sitting by the pool, feet dangling in the water, shouting about how he knows every pressure point on a man's body and how the Taliban wouldn't have won if they'd done things his way.

— Fergus Craig (@FergusCraig) August 20, 2021

Tory MPs leapt to his defence, with claims like these –

I wasn’t going to wade in on this because I know it will look sycophantic but anyone who has worked with or for @DominicRaab knows he’s a workaholic who takes his responsibility as FS incredibly seriously.

— James Cleverly (@JamesCleverly) August 20, 2021

What crap. I’ve been a PPS in FCDO since February 2020 and I’ve never seen him stop. He’s a workaholic. This was the first time he’d taken a break with his wife & YOUNG CHILDREN since Covid. But apparently working 24/7 and acting as Deputy PM during Covid weren’t enough.

— Joy Morrissey MP (@joymorrissey) August 20, 2021

It didn’t escape people’s notice.

I’ve been in the media for almost 40
years. I’ve seldom if ever seen a bigger, more co-ordinated and more expensive – taxpayers’ money, of course – PR campaign mounted to try to save a politician than the one ongoing now for @DominicRaab.

— Tim Walker (@ThatTimWalker) August 21, 2021

I’ve fixed that for you. You’re welcome. pic.twitter.com/I9qQoZ2yy2

— Nick Harvey (@mrnickharvey) August 20, 2021

If only the protective ring thrown around care homes had matched the one thrown around Dominic Raab.

— Otto Von Jizzmark (@Ottojizzmark) August 22, 2021

At the weekend, new information came to light about why the Foreign Secretary felt justified in continuing his holiday after being asked to return to deal with the developing crisis.

NEW: Dominic Raab was told by Downing Street to return home on Friday 13 August as Afghanistan slipped into chaos. Why did the foreign secretary not fly in until the small hours of Monday morning? Because Boris Johnson said he could stay on holiday… https://t.co/BWdXw9oPjY

— Tim Shipman (@ShippersUnbound) August 21, 2021

Bold of him to go with the old ‘a bigger boy made me do it’ defence. Here’s how Twitter reacted to it.

Dominic Raab found time to pick up the phone to the Prime Minister to extend his own holiday, but refused to call the Afghan Gov hours before Kabul fell to the Taliban.

Their negligence is unforgivable. https://t.co/k1DPVAD3j3

— Lisa Nandy (@lisanandy) August 21, 2021

If this is true…. https://t.co/CZ5Em5m8lt

— Deborah Meaden (@DeborahMeaden) August 21, 2021

Lights, camera, "Dominic Raab is a workaholic", action! https://t.co/87fwhlRUmf

— Abdullahi Mohamed (@abdulmohamed02) August 21, 2021

So Johnson told Raab he didn’t need to come home from his holiday on Friday. And then went on holiday himself.
Some worry that this could “raise questions about his judgment”.
Jeezus.
He has no judgment. He’s the most massive liability. An epic shit. The worst PM ever.

— sarah murphy (@13sarahmurphy) August 21, 2021

Dominic Raab latest:

WON'T make a phone call to try and save lives in Afghanistan

WILL make a phone call to try and stay another two days on holiday

WON'T resign#RaabResign https://t.co/4JkXRE5nTJ

— David Schneider (@davidschneider) August 22, 2021

As Kabul implodes, Johnson and Raab are briefing against each other. This beggars belief. pic.twitter.com/8ZhCv6M12H

— Tim Walker (@ThatTimWalker) August 21, 2021

Please sir the Prime Minister ate my homework pic.twitter.com/8Mkee5V4yW

— Toby Earle (@TobyonTV) August 21, 2021

A member of my Birmingham staff tonight worried that she would be at a wedding tomorrow as she wants to be there for those getting in touch. I assured her that myself and other staff would manage the load. She is not the foreign secretary or the PM https://t.co/BiKUWFbMNV

— Jess Phillips MP (@jessphillips) August 21, 2021

Because the PM said I could stay on holiday.
All feckless roads lead back to Captain Feckless. https://t.co/P2pRr5kLRP

— Stephen McGann (@StephenMcGann) August 21, 2021

10.

Why does the fucking potato think this will solve anything. People are annoyed that he remained fucked off on holiday instead of making lifesaving phone calls, not that he didn’t get the correct approval from his line manager. pic.twitter.com/qKKVSreHCu

— James Felton (@JimMFelton) August 22, 2021

11.

C’mon, let’s be fair here. Maybe Raab’s just aware that he’s so shit at his job it’d have made zero difference if he turned up to do it or not? https://t.co/Q9X31XqdHm

— Tiernan Douieb (@TiernanDouieb) August 22, 2021

12.

BREAKING: When Priti Patel described British workers as "the worst idlers in the world", she meant Dominic Raab and Boris Johnson x

— Laura Kuenssberg Translator (@BBCPropagandist) August 21, 2021

13.

I can't even pretend to be shocked https://t.co/98lmivRwrp

— Katie Clark (@Katie_NQ) August 21, 2021

While it looks like the PM can’t sack the Foreign Secretary because he was the one who told him to stay at his luxury resort, there could be another reason.