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| Labour wins back panel inspecting arms exports | Labour wins back panel inspecting arms exports |
| (7 months later) | |
| Labour has secured a victory in the dispute about the UK’s role in the Saudi-led bombardment of Yemen, with the re-establishment of the Commons committee responsible for scrutinising arms exports. | Labour has secured a victory in the dispute about the UK’s role in the Saudi-led bombardment of Yemen, with the re-establishment of the Commons committee responsible for scrutinising arms exports. |
| In a separate development the government has promised to raise with Saudi Arabia next week the UN panel report that has cited “widespread and systematic” violations of international humanitarian law in the bombardment of Yemen. | In a separate development the government has promised to raise with Saudi Arabia next week the UN panel report that has cited “widespread and systematic” violations of international humanitarian law in the bombardment of Yemen. |
| But the government response during an emergency Commons debate on Thursday suggested the Saudis would not be pushed too hard. | But the government response during an emergency Commons debate on Thursday suggested the Saudis would not be pushed too hard. |
| A Foreign Office minister sought to undermine the UN report by suggesting that “media savvy” rebels could have been behind some of the bombing “to discredit the Saudis”, and that the UN panel had not visited Yemen. | A Foreign Office minister sought to undermine the UN report by suggesting that “media savvy” rebels could have been behind some of the bombing “to discredit the Saudis”, and that the UN panel had not visited Yemen. |
| The Commons debate was in response to a leaked copy of the report obtained by the Guardian. | The Commons debate was in response to a leaked copy of the report obtained by the Guardian. |
| The arms committee had been mothballed since spring 2015, fuelling suspicion among Labour MPs and arms campaigners that the government wanted to avoid investigations into billion-pound weapons exports to Saudi Arabia. | The arms committee had been mothballed since spring 2015, fuelling suspicion among Labour MPs and arms campaigners that the government wanted to avoid investigations into billion-pound weapons exports to Saudi Arabia. |
| Jeremy Corbyn and the shadow foreign secretary, Hilary Benn, wrote to David Cameron on Wednesday calling for the suspension of arms sales to Saudi in the light of a UN panel report. | Jeremy Corbyn and the shadow foreign secretary, Hilary Benn, wrote to David Cameron on Wednesday calling for the suspension of arms sales to Saudi in the light of a UN panel report. |
| Corbyn and Benn also called for the re-establishment of the arms committee to look into the role of UK arms exported to Saudi. The committee is now to meet on 10 February to elect a new chair and agree a programme of work. | Corbyn and Benn also called for the re-establishment of the arms committee to look into the role of UK arms exported to Saudi. The committee is now to meet on 10 February to elect a new chair and agree a programme of work. |
| The delay in setting up the committee, which last met in March 2015, has been a Westminster mystery. Other committees started work after the May general election, but the arms committee remained mothballed. The announcement of the arms committee’s return came only hours after a Commons debate on the British role in the Saudi bombardment of Yemen. | The delay in setting up the committee, which last met in March 2015, has been a Westminster mystery. Other committees started work after the May general election, but the arms committee remained mothballed. The announcement of the arms committee’s return came only hours after a Commons debate on the British role in the Saudi bombardment of Yemen. |
| Campaigners for the committee’s reinstatement claimed that though it had been chaired by a Conservative, Sir John Stanley, it had proved a source of embarrassment for the government. | Campaigners for the committee’s reinstatement claimed that though it had been chaired by a Conservative, Sir John Stanley, it had proved a source of embarrassment for the government. |
| The Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood, responding for the government, told the Commons the government was not opposed to the committee and that it was a matter for the House, not the government. | The Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood, responding for the government, told the Commons the government was not opposed to the committee and that it was a matter for the House, not the government. |
| He also said the government took the UN report “extremely seriously” and that ministers and officials would go through it with “a fine tooth comb”. He added that it would be raised with the Saudis at “a very senior level” on the sidelines of meetings scheduled for Rome and London next week concerned about Islamic State and the conflict in Syria generally. Ellwood offered no specific answers to questions about the role of British forces. | He also said the government took the UN report “extremely seriously” and that ministers and officials would go through it with “a fine tooth comb”. He added that it would be raised with the Saudis at “a very senior level” on the sidelines of meetings scheduled for Rome and London next week concerned about Islamic State and the conflict in Syria generally. Ellwood offered no specific answers to questions about the role of British forces. |
| Opposition MPs appeared dissatisfied with his response. The Labour MP for Hammersmith, Andy Slaughter, ridiculed what he referred to his “yes minister” approach. | Opposition MPs appeared dissatisfied with his response. The Labour MP for Hammersmith, Andy Slaughter, ridiculed what he referred to his “yes minister” approach. |
| During one passage that almost descended into farce, Ellwood said that it was difficult to comment on the 51-page report because it had been leaked. Although the UN had received a copy on Monday (as a member of the UN security council, the UK would automatically have had a copy) the government had not “officially” received, he said. | During one passage that almost descended into farce, Ellwood said that it was difficult to comment on the 51-page report because it had been leaked. Although the UN had received a copy on Monday (as a member of the UN security council, the UK would automatically have had a copy) the government had not “officially” received, he said. |
| Faced with shouts of derision from the opposition benches, Ellwood said: “We have not officially received the report. Yes of course I’ve got it but I haven’t received [it] and haven’t had time [to read it all]. I haven’t received it officially, if the honourable gentleman can hang on to his seat. It is important that we are able to digest this, what I have read of the report is firstly, I will take the report extremely seriously. This absolutely must be the case.” | Faced with shouts of derision from the opposition benches, Ellwood said: “We have not officially received the report. Yes of course I’ve got it but I haven’t received [it] and haven’t had time [to read it all]. I haven’t received it officially, if the honourable gentleman can hang on to his seat. It is important that we are able to digest this, what I have read of the report is firstly, I will take the report extremely seriously. This absolutely must be the case.” |
| In theory the UK should automatically suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia given that government rules specifically state that no weapons should be sent to countries involved in breaches of international humanitarian law. | In theory the UK should automatically suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia given that government rules specifically state that no weapons should be sent to countries involved in breaches of international humanitarian law. |
| But Ellwood’s responses suggested that was unlikely to happen. Although the report is by a UN panel of experts on Yemen, Ellwood told the Commons that its findings should be caveated with the words “alleged” and “potential”. | But Ellwood’s responses suggested that was unlikely to happen. Although the report is by a UN panel of experts on Yemen, Ellwood told the Commons that its findings should be caveated with the words “alleged” and “potential”. |
| The Saudi-led coalition began its military campaign in Yemen last March to stop the Houthi advance. The Saudis revealed last week that British forces, whose role has been vaguely described as being do to with training and advising, as well as providing a liaison capacity, were present at the command and control centre where the campaign was being orchestrated. | The Saudi-led coalition began its military campaign in Yemen last March to stop the Houthi advance. The Saudis revealed last week that British forces, whose role has been vaguely described as being do to with training and advising, as well as providing a liaison capacity, were present at the command and control centre where the campaign was being orchestrated. |
| “We are aware that the Houthis, who are far more media savvy in this situation, are using their own artillery pieces to deliberately target individual areas where they are not loyal to the Houthis in order to give the impression that there have been air attacks,” Ellwood said. “This is not to exonerate any of the mistakes that might have been made by Saudi Arabia, which is why it’s so important that there is a thorough process to investigate absolutely every single incident.” | “We are aware that the Houthis, who are far more media savvy in this situation, are using their own artillery pieces to deliberately target individual areas where they are not loyal to the Houthis in order to give the impression that there have been air attacks,” Ellwood said. “This is not to exonerate any of the mistakes that might have been made by Saudi Arabia, which is why it’s so important that there is a thorough process to investigate absolutely every single incident.” |
| He questioned the reliability of the evidence in the UN report, saying it was based partly on surveillance satellite images showing residential areas before and after bombing. “The actual people that wrote this report didn’t visit Yemen. They didn’t actually go there. They are basing this on satellite technology,” he said. | He questioned the reliability of the evidence in the UN report, saying it was based partly on surveillance satellite images showing residential areas before and after bombing. “The actual people that wrote this report didn’t visit Yemen. They didn’t actually go there. They are basing this on satellite technology,” he said. |
| The panel was refused entry to Yemen in spite of several requests to visit. | The panel was refused entry to Yemen in spite of several requests to visit. |
| Ellwood said that every time there was an incident the Saudis should investigate, just as the US had done after hitting a Médecins Sans Frontières hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan; if they have been involved they had to put up their hands. | Ellwood said that every time there was an incident the Saudis should investigate, just as the US had done after hitting a Médecins Sans Frontières hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan; if they have been involved they had to put up their hands. |
| Benn asked Ellwood specific questions about the role of British forces in advising the Saudi air force on targeting. He said the panel had reported 119 Saudi-led coalition sorties that had led to breaches of international humanitarian law. | Benn asked Ellwood specific questions about the role of British forces in advising the Saudi air force on targeting. He said the panel had reported 119 Saudi-led coalition sorties that had led to breaches of international humanitarian law. |
| Benn asked Ellwood: “Can the minister explain how many of these incidents have been examined and why he is satisfied that IHL [international humanitarian law] has not been breached?” | Benn asked Ellwood: “Can the minister explain how many of these incidents have been examined and why he is satisfied that IHL [international humanitarian law] has not been breached?” |
| He also asked about whether the British forces on the ground in Saudi had reported any breaches of international humanitarian law, deliberate or accidental. “This is about whether the government is meeting its own arms control rules. Appearing to be reluctant to do so does it no credit nor does it help those affected by this conflict which urgently needs to come to an end,” Benn said. | He also asked about whether the British forces on the ground in Saudi had reported any breaches of international humanitarian law, deliberate or accidental. “This is about whether the government is meeting its own arms control rules. Appearing to be reluctant to do so does it no credit nor does it help those affected by this conflict which urgently needs to come to an end,” Benn said. |