Arms dealers accused of fueling Yemen war to host UK politicians for black-tie dinner

The annual dinner hosted by the Aerospace, Defence & Security Group's (ADS), an arms industry trade body, will see a number of British politicians, including MPs, attending the event.

The ADS, which represents most of the world's biggest arms firms, has been accused by campaigners of arming and supporting the Saudi-led bombardment of Yemen.

"Right now UK-made fighter jets are flying over Yemen firing UK-made missiles and dropping UK-made bombs," Andrew Smith, media coordinator at the Campaign Against Arms Trade, told The New Arab.

"The bombardment has created the worst humanitarian crisis in the world," Smith said.

"None of this could have happened without the complicity and support of the UK Government, which has promoted these arms sales and supported the Saudi regime every step of the way."

The London event will include a keynote speech from former UK Home Secretary and Labour Party politician Alan Johnson, who has been urged by campaigners to withdraw his participation. 

"Alan Johnson is a respected public figure and should not be speaking at such a grotesque event," Smith said. "He should not be using his reputation to legitimise and enable those that profit from war and conflict." 

Right groups have urged the UK other European states to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

In October, Oxfam said one civilian is killed every three hours in the war-torn country. Citing data collected by the Civilian Impact Monitoring Project, linked to the UN global protection clusters, the aid group said 575 civilians were killed between 1 August and 15 October, including 136 children.

"Oxfam is calling on the UK, US and other governments to suspend arms sales to the Saudis because of their disregard for civilian lives in the war in Yemen," Oxfam said. 

Saudi Arabia leads a pro-government military alliance that has battled Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels since 2015, pushing the impoverished country to the brink of famine.

The UN categorises Yemen as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

Making a killing

Attending the black-tie event will be one of Europe's biggest weapons manufacturer BAE Systems, which produces the Typhoon jets used by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.

The company is also currently negotiating the sale of another fighter aircraft to the Saudi regime, according to the Campaign Against Arms Trade.

Also attending will be representatives from the military contractor Raytheon, which manufactures laser-guided bombs used by the Saudi-led forces in their bombing campaign.

The Paveway IV bombs are produced in the UK and have been linked to attacks that target civilians in Yemen. 

Representatives from the US company Northrop Grumman are also expected at the London event.

Northrop Grumman is a major contractor to the Saudi military, which has been heavily involved in the training and development of the Saudi military personnel, according to its website.

Wednesday’s black-tie event, which costs £225 per head for members and £450 for non-members, will see companies pay for politicians to attend.

"While Yemen is being starved, the arms dealers will be swilling champagne, cozying up to politicians and trying to sell even more weapons," Smith said.

Earlier this year, it emerged that British councils invested half-a-billion pounds in arms companies implicated in the war on Yemen. The local authorities' pension funds held sizeable shares - worth £566 million - in arms companies including BAE Systems, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman, according to British media reports.

"British council workers' retirement income is being funded by companies that have been allowed by the British and American governments to make much of their profits by satisfying the appetite of Saudi to kill, maim and starve millions of civilians in Yemen," MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle said.

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