Labour
leader Jeremy Corbyn’s decision to bar Saudi Arabia from his
party’s annual conference next week suggests he would not be afraid
to cut military and diplomatic ties with the Gulf kingdom over its
war on Yemen if he becomes prime minister.
A Labour
spokesperson told the Huffington Post on Monday: “Following
evidence of war crimes committed by Saudi Arabia in its bombing
campaign in Yemen and other large scale human rights abuses, the NEC
[National Executive Committee] agreed that the embassy’s
application to attend the Labour Party conference would not be
accepted.”
Labour also
barred Sudan from the conference, which begins next Sunday in
Brighton.
In response,
the London office of the League of Arab States wrote to Labour MPs
and peers to tell them a reception and dinner hosted by Arab
ambassadors would be canceled. “Unfortunately, the council of
Arab Ambassadors has taken the decision to cancel its annual
reception and buffet dinner,” the letter read.
“Our
council has decided to refrain from attending the Labour Party
conference this year due to rejection of both the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia and the Republic of Sudan’s application to attend the
conference.”
Corbyn’s
stand comes in sharp contrast with that of Theresa May’s
government. The Tories have failed to criticize the Saudi government
for potential war crimes, and has sold its military £3.6 billion
(S4.87 billion) in weaponry that may have been used in its campaign
in Yemen.
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