Oxfam accuses UK over selling arms in Yemen

The government has been accused of double standards for participating in arms control talks in Geneva at the same time that London hosts the world’s biggest arms fair.

The opening of the Defence & Security Equipment International (Desi) today coincides with the annual meeting of signatories to the Arms Trade Treaty in Switzerland.

But the UK has been criticised by Oxfam for selling arms that fuel the war in Yemen, while also funding aid efforts to help those suffering.

Sally Copley, Oxfam GB’S head of campaigns said: “Yemen is the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, suffering from a borderline famine and hit by the world’s largest chol- 0 Sally Copley warned over the Yemen cholera epidemic era epidemic which shows no sign of abating. Since the war began not one licence to export arms to Saudi Arabia has been rejected by the government.

A spokesman for the Department of International Trade said: “The UK operates one of the most robust export control regimes in the world.”