Ruling due on whether Government unlawfully failed to halt Saudi arms sales

THE HIGH Court rules today on whether the Government has unlawfully failed to suspend the sale of UK arms to Saudi Arabia.

The case is being brought by the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), which says UK fighter jets and bombs sent to the Gulf state have been used in the conflict in Yemen in which thousands have died.

The group is attacking the Government’s refusal to suspend export licences for the sale or transfer of arms and military equipment to Saudi Arabia and decisions to continue granting new licences.

The case is being seen as potentially having a wide impact on the multi-billion pound arms trade generally, which could become even more important to the economy in post-Brexit Britain.

CAAT said more than 10,000 people have been killed as a Saudi Arabia-led coalition intervenes in the Yemeni civil war and is guilty of “repeated and serious breaches” of international humanitarian law.

It said the fighting had created a humanitarian catastrophe, destroying vital infrastructure and leaving 80 per cent of the population in need of aid.

But the UK has continued to allow sales, with more than £3.3bn worth of arms having been licensed since the bombing began in March 2015.

The Government is arguing there is no “clear risk” that UKlicensed items might be used to commit a serious violation of humanitarian law. Government lawyers say in a written statement before the court that it is relying on “all of the information available” – some of which “may not be publicly available”.

Lord Justice Burnett and Mr Justice Haddon-Cave were told the Secretary of State for International Trade, who is defending the Government stance, is “relying considerably on sensitive material”. Martin Chamberlain, appearing for CAAT, said evidence to be presented was enough to show “no reasonable decisionmaker” could have allowed the sale of arms to continue.