Corbyn: May colluding with war crime Saudis
Opposition hit out as regime’s leader gets a royal reception in UK
JEREMY Corbyn yesterday accused Theresa May of “colluding” in war crimes committed by Saudi forces in Yemen’s bitter civil war.
In heated exchanges in the Commons, the Labour leader called on the Prime Minister to stop British arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
As Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman started a three-day visit to the UK, Corbyn accused British military personnel of “directing” the country’s military operations in neighbouring Yemen, which have led to large-scale civilian casualties.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Corbyn said a “humanitarian disaster”
was taking place as a result of the Saudi-led aerial bombing campaign and a blockade of Yemeni ports.
He added: “Germany has suspended arms sales to Saudi Arabia but British arms sales have sharply increased and British military advisers are directing the war.
“It cannot be right that her Government are colluding in what the United Nations say is evidence of war crimes.”
SNP MP Stewart McDonald urged May to use the visit to raise the Saudi regime’s “appalling human rights failures”.
Highlighting the case of an imprisoned blogger, he asked: “As the crown prince of Saudi Arabia sweeps Westminster and Whitehall, signing deals
and co-operative agreements, will she find time to raise with him the case of Raif Badawi, who has languished in prison for six years – all because he wrote some things his government didn’t like?”
May strongly defended the UK’s “historic” ties with Saudi Arabia.
In a reference to counterterrorism co-operation, she insisted these ties had “saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country”.
But she also promised to talk frankly about the Saudi human rights record.
Prince Salman had lunch with the Queen yesterday, before meeting May at 10 Downing Street. He was also due to have dinner with princes Charles and William.