Dominic Raab reportedly stayed on holiday despite being told to return amid Afghanistan crisis

ITV News Political Correspondent David Wood explains the latest claims made about the foreign secretary's holiday

The Foreign Secretary is facing a fresh wave of criticism surrounding his holiday and handling of the growing crisis in Afghanistan earlier this week, after reports he stayed abroad despite being told to return to the UK.

Dominic Raab has already been forced to reject calls to resign over his decision not to make a phone call to his Afghan counterpart about the evacuation of Afghan translators, as the Taliban asserted its control in the country.

According to the Sunday Times, Mr Raab was ordered home from his trip in Crete by Downing Street on August 13 - but stayed for two more days because Boris Johnson told him he could.

The newspaper quotes a senior government official as saying there was a “sense of disbelief” in No 10 when Mr Raab was not present in person for talks on Sunday.

The paper quoted the source as saying: “He seems to have nobbled Boris after he was told to come back.”

The Foreign Secretary returned to the UK from his five-star hotel on the Greek island on Monday - after Kabul had fallen to the Taliban.

The Prime Minister has already had to give Mr Raab his backing once following the fallout over the issue earlier this week, with Mr Johnson saying he “absolutely” has full confidence in his foreign secretary.

Boris Johnson says he 'absolutely' has confidence in Dominic Raab

It emerged Mr Raab delegated a call about repatriating Afghan interpreters, while away on August 13, to a junior minister.

That decision resulted in the phone conversation with the Afghan foreign minister never taking place.

Labour has slammed the latest reported revelation, with shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy saying: "It’s staggering that the Foreign Secretary found the time to pick up the phone to lobby the Prime Minister to extend his own holiday, but refused to call the Afghan government in the hours before Kabul fell to the Taliban."

She continued: "It’s little wonder that the Prime Minister wasn’t able to order others back to Westminster when he chose to go on holiday himself as the Taliban were advancing on Kabul.

"Britain cannot afford a Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary who show such disregard for the lives of British nationals and our allies."

The SNP's leader in Westminster, Ian Blackford, said the claim "makes it impossible for Dominic Raab to stay in office."

He tweeted: "What we thought was a grave error of judgement is now seen as obstinacy and pig headedness when faced with demands to return to work."

Responding to the reports, Downing Street told ITV News it does not comment on private conversations between ministers.

The Foreign Office declined to comment.