Britain increases arms exports to world’s most repressive regimes by nearly a third since Brexit vote
►https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/arms-sales-britain-increases-exports-worlds-repressive-regimes-nearly-third
Britain has dramatically increased the value of weaponry and defence equipment it sells to the world’s most repressive regimes since vows by senior ministers to expand arms exports after the Brexit vote. Figures seen by i show that the Government cleared export licences worth £2.9bn in the 12 months after June 2016 to 35 countries considered “not free” by Freedom House, a respected international think-tank. The figure represents a 28 per cent increase on the 12 months before the Brexit vote. Human rights Among the countries to which ministers have given the green light for military equipment sales are Equatorial Guinea, considered to be one of the most corrupt and repressive countries in the world. Licences worth £1m were also granted for Azerbaijan, accused by human rights campaigners of conducting a vicious campaign against freedom of expression, while Uzbekistan, which is rated by Freedom House as one of the least free countries in the world, was granted a licence to import military vehicle components worth nearly £200,000. The Government has singled out arms sales as a priority area for Britain’s post-Brexit trade push. Prior to his resignation last year, former Defence Secretary Michael Fallon vowed at the world’s largest arms fair in London that Britain would “spread its wings across the world” with increased weaponry and equipment sales. The Government insists that the UK has “robust” measures in place to allow “ethical defence exports” which are worth £5.9bn a year to the British economy.
Read more at: ►https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/arms-sales-britain-increases-exports-worlds-repressive-regimes-nearly-third
