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| Illegal arms sales: government accused of 'startling complacency' | Illegal arms sales: government accused of 'startling complacency' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The government has been accused of startling complacency after two companies were ejected from a UK arms fair for promoting illegal weapons. | |
| Green MP Caroline Lucas, who raised the issue in the House of Commons, said the firms were promoting handheld electric shock weapons, leg irons and stun batons. | Green MP Caroline Lucas, who raised the issue in the House of Commons, said the firms were promoting handheld electric shock weapons, leg irons and stun batons. |
| "It's frankly disgusting that items like this are being promoted at a supposedly legitimate trade event in Britain," said Lucas, who tabled a question in parliament and raised a point of order on Wednesday. "Time and again the organisers of DSEI have shown that they cannot guarantee that exhibitors will remain with the law. The government is supposed to regulate this event and has shown startling complacency." | "It's frankly disgusting that items like this are being promoted at a supposedly legitimate trade event in Britain," said Lucas, who tabled a question in parliament and raised a point of order on Wednesday. "Time and again the organisers of DSEI have shown that they cannot guarantee that exhibitors will remain with the law. The government is supposed to regulate this event and has shown startling complacency." |
| On its website, event organisers DSEI confirmed that French firm Magforce International and Chinese company Tianjin Myway International Trading Co had been ejected after they were found to have "literature in breach of British law", which it said had been passed to the HMRC for further investigation. | On its website, event organisers DSEI confirmed that French firm Magforce International and Chinese company Tianjin Myway International Trading Co had been ejected after they were found to have "literature in breach of British law", which it said had been passed to the HMRC for further investigation. |
| The statement continued: "This action highlights our commitment to ensuring that all equipment, services, promotional material, documentation and anything else on display at DSEI complies with domestic and international law." | The statement continued: "This action highlights our commitment to ensuring that all equipment, services, promotional material, documentation and anything else on display at DSEI complies with domestic and international law." |
| But Lucas said the incident left her with no confidence that the law on weapons sale was being upheld. | But Lucas said the incident left her with no confidence that the law on weapons sale was being upheld. |
| "I am very pleased that they have been ejected but I think it is enormously worrying that it takes a question in parliament to make DSEI do their jobs properly. One can have no confidence that the policy on selling illegal weapons is being upheld properly at all." | "I am very pleased that they have been ejected but I think it is enormously worrying that it takes a question in parliament to make DSEI do their jobs properly. One can have no confidence that the policy on selling illegal weapons is being upheld properly at all." |
| Meanwhile two journalists covering the event say they were barred on Wednesday after organisers took exception to a hashtag they had used on Twitter. | Meanwhile two journalists covering the event say they were barred on Wednesday after organisers took exception to a hashtag they had used on Twitter. |
| Jason Parkinson and colleague Monika Kalinowska had been filming for a European television station. They arrived at the arms fair on Wednesday morning and filmed a rooftop protest before going to pick up their passes for the day. | Jason Parkinson and colleague Monika Kalinowska had been filming for a European television station. They arrived at the arms fair on Wednesday morning and filmed a rooftop protest before going to pick up their passes for the day. |
| But the pair say they were ushered into a room and left for half an hour before being told their accreditation had been withdrawn because they had been tweeting using the hashtag #stopdsei – popular with protesters opposed to the arms fair. | But the pair say they were ushered into a room and left for half an hour before being told their accreditation had been withdrawn because they had been tweeting using the hashtag #stopdsei – popular with protesters opposed to the arms fair. |
| Parkinson, an experienced video journalist who belongs to the National Union of Journalists, said he was amazed he had been barred simply because of a hashtag he had used on Twitter. | Parkinson, an experienced video journalist who belongs to the National Union of Journalists, said he was amazed he had been barred simply because of a hashtag he had used on Twitter. |
| "There has been absolutely no agenda with our reporting – it has just been us recording what is going on and what people are saying. I find it incredible that our use of hashtags to ensure our work is seen by both those opposed to and in favour of the arms fair has led us to be ejected." | "There has been absolutely no agenda with our reporting – it has just been us recording what is going on and what people are saying. I find it incredible that our use of hashtags to ensure our work is seen by both those opposed to and in favour of the arms fair has led us to be ejected." |
| A spokesperson for DSEI said that while official media representatives were welcome to apply for accreditation it retained the right "to grant, reject or revoke" passes at any time, at its discretion. | A spokesperson for DSEI said that while official media representatives were welcome to apply for accreditation it retained the right "to grant, reject or revoke" passes at any time, at its discretion. |
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