Stephen has written to the Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, asking that the UK suspend its arms deals with Saudi Arabia. He also urged Ministers to continue the provision of financial aid to the Yemeni civilians.
The conflict in Yemen has been ongoing since the failure, in 2011, of a Saudi-backed transition from long-time President Saleh to his deputy Abd Rabbuh Mansour al-Hadi. The rebel Houthi movement took control of much of the country. In 2015 a coalition, led by Saudi Arabia, was established to prop up the al-Hadi Government. Since then, the conflict has produced the world’s worst humanitarian disaster, with millions of people at risk from starvation and disease. Attempts to broker a peace deal, ended in failure last year.
Stephen addressed the concerns his constituents in his letter to the Foreign Secretary. He requested a ban on selling arms to Saudi Arabia, and urged Ministers to look again at its plans to reduce the amount of aid to Yemen.
Speaking about the letter, Stephen said: “I have long supported the Government to ban the selling of weapons to Saudi Arabia. It seems clear to me that the UK cannot carry out its proper role in reinvigorating the peace process if we are arming one side of the conflict.
“The Government must lead initiatives to impose a ceasefire, open humanitarian corridors and restore peace talks. It is vital that we help sustain the momentum required to end this brutal conflict, bring all parties back to the negotiating table, and stop the suffering of the Yemeni people.”