UNA Warwick & District: Is the UK fuelling war in Yemen by selling arms to Saudi Arabia?

The guest speaker at this event is Chris White, Member of Parliament for Warwick & Leamington Spa and Chair of the Committees on Arms Export Controls in House of Commons. Mr White is responsible for Private Member's Bill, the Social Value Act, which was passed in the last Parliament. He is also Co-Chair the Associate Parliamentary Manufacturing Group and Chair of the All Party Group on Video Games, two vital sectors in our area.

The Committees on Arms Export Controls are responsible for scrutinising the issuing of export licences for arms and these licences provide for the export of bombs, grenades, rockets, missiles and other devices - all of which are subject to stringent international arms controls. There has been numerous high level findings by Oxfam, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and well respected lawyers have provided evidence that shows that the UK has been violating the international Arms Trade Treaty. The Treaty regulates the transfer of conventional arms to ensure there is no violation of international humanitarian law. Governments who sign up to the Arms Trade Treaty are obliged to review their weapons sales and ensure that they are not being used for human rights violations. British arms and military support are fuelling a brutal war in Yemen, harming the very people the Arms Trade Treaty is designed to protect.  

We are concerned that the weapons sold by the UK to Saudi Arabia have resulted in thousands of deaths in the Yemen. We are also concerned that the UK Government continues to authorise arms sales to Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners at a time when this war is raging on. The UK authorised an arms licence to Saudi Arabia worth $4bn.

Earlier this year our local MP Chris White was elected as Chair of the Committees on Arms Export Controls of the House of Commons. Chris has very kindly agreed to come and address our local UN Association and to discuss some of the issues we will be raising with him on arms controls relating to the conflict in the Yemen as well as his role as Chair of the Committees on Arms Export Controls, as well as Government policy on arms sales in general and also the international Arms Trade Treaty. 

Please do come along with a friend and contribute to this very important debate