Emails appear to show Boris Johnson authorised evacuation of Pen Farthing's animals from Afghanistan

Internal government emails have suggested Prime Minister Boris Johnson personally authorised the evacuation of 173 dogs and cats from Afghanistan during an emergency airlift.

The email, sent on 25th August 2021 by a foreign office official, could contradict the Prime Minister's prior defence that the claims were "complete nonsense".

The correspondence reads: "the PM has just authorised their staff and animals to be evacuated."

On Tuesday, however, the Defence Secretary insisted the Prime Minister did not ask him to clear the way out of Afghanistan for Paul “Pen” Farthing’s animals “at any stage”.

It follows claims in December that Boris Johnson’s former parliamentary aide wrote to Mr Farthing confirming his staff and animals could be evacuated from the country after the Taliban takeover.

A Foreign Office whistleblower alleged in December that Mr Johnson issued an instruction to save animals from the Nowzad shelter during the mass evacuation effort in August – potentially putting British troops’ lives at risk and preventing people from fleeing Kabul.

Former Royal Marine Mr Farthing, who ran the Nowzad shelter, launched a high-profile campaign to get his staff and animals out of Afghanistan after the fall of Kabul, using a plane funded through donations.

The UK Government sponsored clearance for the charter flight, leading to allegations that animals had been prioritised over people in the rescue effort.

Downing Street previously said the allegations that the Prime Minister ordered the rescue of animals from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover were “entirely untrue”.

Read the emails.