Arms sales to Saudi must end

Madam, – It was great to hear that the Court of Appeal has ruled the UK’s continued arms sales to Saudi Arabia for use in Yemen’s brutal war are unlawful.

The Campaign Against the Arms Trade argued that UK fighter jets and bombs are being used to kill civilians and violate international law.

The Court of Appeal concluded it was “irrational and therefore unlawful” for the international trade secretary to have licensed weapons exports without assessing whether past incidents broke international law and if there was a “clear risk” of future breaches.

Judges found that although the UK had “engaged closely” with Riyadh in attempt

to minimise civilian casualties in Yemen, that fell short of the legal obligation to assess the risk of war crimes.

No matter what atrocities it has inflicted, the Saudi regime has been able to count on the UK’s uncritical political and military support.

The bombing has created the worst humanitarian crisis in the world and thousands have been killed.

Many more have

died as a result of an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe including a cholera outbreak and starvation.

UK arms companies have profited every step of the way and we must follow the lead of the likes of Germany, the Netherlands and Finland in ceasing arms sales.

The man who was the Foreign Secretary in the period considered by the judgment, who signed off the export licences

and should therefore be held responsible, was none other than Tory leadership frontrunner, Boris Johnson. Alex Orr.

Flat 3, 2 Marchmont Road, Edinburgh.