, the co-leader of the Green
Party, has suggested that a change of law is needed to stop arms
sales to repressive regimes after the High Court ruled that the
Government can continue to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia. [1]
Lucas, who has been battling the Government over arms sales to
Saudi Arabia for many years, accused the Government of being
'utterly unethical' by selling arms to a regime accused of
breaking international law in Yemen. She is supporting the CAAT
appeal against the verdict.
, co-leader of the Green
Party, said:
"Today's verdict might mean that the Government is on the right
side of the law for now, but it doesn't give any moral
justification for their utterly unethical actions when it comes
to arms sales. While the strict legal verdict is that arms sales
can continue, the only morally justifiable way forward would be
an immediate arms embargo to Saudi Arabia.
"This verdict suggests that a change of law is desperately
needed, because the current legal framework is allowing Britain
to sell weapons to a repressive regime whose actions in Yemen are
causing a humanitarian disaster. This weak Government has said
they are looking to work with other parties - they should start
by forming a cross-party review into arms sales to repressive
regimes."
ENDS
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/10/uk-arms-exports-to-saudi-arabia-can-continue-high-court-rules?CMP=share_btn_tw
