The court of appeal has ruled that the granting of new UK licences to sell arms to Saudi Arabia is “unlawful”, in light of their possible use in the brutal war in Yemen. The government must adhere to the court’s ruling; this is no longer a matter of policy but a matter of law. We welcome the suspension of new licences by Liam Fox while proceedings are ongoing.
The United Arab Emirates has also announced it plans to withdraw some military forces from Hodeidah and other areas of Yemen (Report, 10 July). This move is to be welcomed as a sign of confidence in the UN-led peace process, and we must insist this leads to further de-escalation from all sides.
Our message to the next prime minister and the next foreign secretary is clear: keep Yemen at the top of the government’s agenda. With over 20 million Yemenis food-insecure and more than 90,000 killed in the fighting, humanitarian aid must reach those so desperately in need. We can still end this war.
Keith Vaz MP
Chair, All-party parliamentary group for Yemen
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