Stars join calls for ban on UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia
Sun Oct 1, 2017 11:24:54
Bill Nighy, Ian McEwan and Coldplay are among stars calling on Britain At the start of the Conservative party conference, when the government is expected to push the case for free trade, the musicians, actors and authors have signed an open letter, co-ordinated by Oxfam, in which they claim that the government’s “double standards” on Yemen have helped fuel the world’s “worst humanitarian crisis”.
Even as the UK sends aid to Yemen, British-made bombs are fuelling the conflict there
The letter, published in the Observer, and also signed by the actor Simon Pegg, photographer Rankin and writers Philip Pullman and David Nicholls, among others, states: “As proud Brits we can no longer stay silent about our government’s double standards on Yemen. Even as the UK sends aid to Yemen, British-made bombs are fuelling the conflict there. We are too proud of our country to allow this to continue. We are better than this.” Britain has sold almost £4bn of arms to Saudi Arabia since a coalition led by the kingdom began its bombing campaign in Yemen. Last month, the defence secretary, Michael Fallon, signed a new military and security co-operation agreement with the kingdom.
Numerous human rights groups, the UN and politicians have claimed the campaign is in breach of international human rights laws because it has allegedly targeted civilians.
to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia which they say are responsible for “unspeakable suffering” in Yemen.