Boris Johnson will recall parliament this week to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, Downing Street sources have confirmed.

The prime minister will summon MPs back to Westminster from their summer break for one day, after the Taliban entered the outskirts of Kabul.

With embassy staff being evacuated from the country, a No 10 source said: “The prime minister is expected to recall parliament this week to discuss the siuation in Afghanistan. The timing is to be confirmed with the speaker.”

Moments earlier, Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, had called for parliament to be recalled. “We need parliament recalled so the government can update MPs on how it plans to work with allies to avoid a humanitarian crisis and a return to the days of Afghanistan being a base for extremists whose purpose will be to threaten our interests, values and national security,” he said.

Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, had demanded a crisis summit for Westminster leaders and recall of parliament, while Ian Blackford, the SNP Westminster leader, had also called for a full recall.

The prime minister said on Friday the time had come for the vast bulk of British diplomatic staff to leave, and the UK ambassador to Kabul is believed to be among them.

After chairing a Cobra meeting on the situation, Johnson said there was no military option for the UK in Afghanistan and that he wanted to use diplomatic leverage in the situation. He insisted that the UK’s 20-year military presence in Afghanistan had not been in vain, claiming the threat of al-Qaida had been greatly reduced.

However, some MPs and international observers are calling on him to do more and consider a global alliance to reverse the march of the Taliban, because of their history of oppressing women and girls, links to terrorist groups and religious extremism.

Davey wrote to the prime minister on Sunday, saying: “It is without doubt that we face a crucial point in history and, as a nation, we must act together before it is too late.

“Given the tragedy unfolding before our eyes and the grave threat to national security this raises, I urge you to invite all Westminster party leaders from across the UK to meet with you to discuss our nation’s response to this crisis. It is also right that parliament is recalled as soon as possible to discuss the UK’s response.

“The UK has a responsibility to the people of Afghanistan and to the international community. Now is the time to act – to do the right thing, and bring political parties together in our national interest.”

Tobias Ellwood, the chair of the House of Commons defence committee and former defence and foreign office minister, went further and demanded a recall of parliament.

“The effect of our dire decision to withdraw unfolds. MPs should be recalled to vote (and be seen to vote) on whether we abandon the Afghan people and allow a new haven for terrorism or seek to lead an international coalition. It’s a test of what Global Britain means,” he said.

Chris Bryant, the Labour MP and former minister, also said he believed parliament should be brought back.

“Events in Afghanistan are moving very fast but with a significant new deployment of British troops and rapid evacuation of British nationals it is inconceivable that Parliament will not be recalled,” he said.

Tom Tugendhat, the chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, branded the withdrawal the “biggest single disaster of foreign policy since Suez” and raised concerns that the foreign secretary had not commented on the issue in the last week.

He told the BBC’s Broadcasting House programme that it was “extraordinary” that the UK’s focus had been on minor negotiations with Nato and Europe instead of the lives of 28 million Afghans. Tugendhat also said it appeared “our foreign policy is now entirely decided by Washington”.

Rory Stewart, the former development secretary and leadership contender, who has lived and travelled extensively in Afghanistan, also told Broadcasting House it was “monumental” that Kabul was being threatened by takeover by the Taliban, saying the UK should remember it was a “group with the most horrific dark and unpleasant history”.