Labour has demanded that the government follow President Biden's
lead and suspend arms exports to Saudi Arabia for use in the war in
Yemen. The President announced the move last night at the same time
as supporting UN-led initiatives to impose a ceasefire in Yemen,
open humanitarian corridors, and restore peace talks.
Shadow International Trade Secretary, Emily Thornberry, has
written to her counterpart, , urging her
to follow suit, saying:
"You can personally play a vital and immediate part in this
process by suspending the export of arms for use in the conflict.
Even if we disagree fundamentally over whether you should already
have done so in the context of international humanitarian law,
surely we can both agree now is the right time to do so in the
interests of securing peace in Yemen.
"The UK cannot play its proper role as penholder in the UN-led
peace initiative that President Biden has urged if we are
simultaneously continuing to sell arms to one side in the
conflict. We must instead demonstrate that we stand firmly
alongside the President in demanding an end to this war, and are
ready to take the same actions as him to achieve it."
Ends
Notes for Editors
President Biden's announcements on Yemen were made in broadcast
remarks to State Department officials yesterday evening, 4th
February: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/02/04/remarks-by-president-biden-on-americas-place-in-the-world/
In July last year, overturned a
Court-ordered suspension of arms exports for use in the war in
Yemen, imposed on the grounds that ministers had failed
adequately to assess the risk that UK-made weapons were being
used to violate international humanitarian law. She announced
that, based on a fresh government analysis of allegations arising
from the Saudi air campaign, the government had assessed the
risks adequately and decided it was lawful to resume those
exports.
The full text of Emily Thornberry's letter to :
Rt Hon
Secretary of State for International Trade
3 Whitehall Place, Westminster
London SW1A 2HP
Dear Liz,
I am writing following President Biden’s statement last night
announcing the suspension of all US arms sales for use in the war
in Yemen, and expressing his support for a UN-led initiative to
impose a ceasefire on all sides, open humanitarian corridors, and
restore peace talks.
As you know, these are all familiar demands from the debates we
have had in our own Parliament over the last five years, both in
the context of the UK’s continuing arms exports to the Saudi-led
coalition, and the government’s shamefully neglected duties as
penholder on Yemen at the UN Security Council.
However, there is no value in relitigating those debates at this
point. What matters now is whether the UK will support President
Biden’s initiative, take immediate action in kind, and thereby
help sustain the momentum required to end this brutal conflict,
bring all parties back to the negotiating table, and stop the
suffering of the Yemeni people.
You can personally play a vital and immediate part in this
process by suspending the export of arms for use in the conflict.
Even if we disagree fundamentally over whether you should already
have done so in the context of international humanitarian law,
surely we can both agree now is the right time to do so in the
interests of securing peace in Yemen.
Apart from anything else, the UK cannot play its proper role as
penholder in the UN-led peace initiative that President Biden has
urged if we are simultaneously continuing to sell arms to one
side in the conflict. We must instead demonstrate that we stand
firmly alongside the President in demanding an end to this war,
and are ready to take the same actions as him to achieve it.
Yours sincerely,
The Rt. Hon
Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade
