- 70% believe UK should not promote arms sales to governments that abuse human rights .
- 60% believe the UK should not promote arms sales to countries that are not democracies
- 66% of UK arms sales go the Middle East, the largest buyer is Saudi Arabia
On the same morning as thousands of arms dealers and military delegates descend on London for Defence & Security Equipment International 2015 (DSEI), Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) has published new polling research that reveals the level of public opposition to arms sales to dictatorships and human rights abusers.
The polling of over 2000 adults, undertaken by Opinium LLP, a London based online market research agency, found that 70% of UK adults oppose the promotion of arms sales to governments with poor human rights records, with only 7% in support.
Similarly, 60% oppose the promotion of arms sales to countries that are not democracies, with only 8% supporting them. Government statistics show that, at present, two thirds of all UK arms exports go the Middle East. The largest buyer is Saudi Arabia, which the Coalition licensed over £3.9 billion worth of arms to.
43% believe that the government should not be involved in organising arms fairs like DSEI, with only 19% believing that they should. This increases to 64% opposing the government’s involvement with arms fairs that human rights abusers are invited to, with only 9% supporting it.
DSEI is organised by Clarion Events and supported by UK Trade & Investment Defence & Security Organisation (UKTI DSO), the 130 strong government department responsible for promoting arms exports.
Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said:
The government is not a neutral observer in the arms trade, it is an active participant and is central to events like DSEI. The overwhelming majority of people across the UK oppose the government selling arms to human right abusers, and yet the vast majority of arms sales are to war zones, authoritarian regimes and dictatorships.
DSEI attendees will include military delegations from a number of oppressive regimes, war zones and dictatorships; including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Azerbaijan, Egypt and Pakistan. Israel is not on the official invitees’ list but it has a pavilion, which means it is a high powered delegation.
The poll found that 62% oppose arms sales to Saudi Arabia,, with only 16% saying they are acceptable. 71% oppose arms sales to Pakistan, with only 8% saying they are acceptable and 62% oppose arms sales to Israel, with only 18% saying they are acceptable.
Andrew continued:
It is shameful that the government is welcoming arms dealers and despots with open arms at the same time as it is turning away refugees who are fleeing the kind of wars and insecurity that are fuelled by the arms trade.
The full results of the poll are available upon request. If you are writing about DSEI then CAAT can provide case studies, background information and analysis of the arms trade.
ENDS
For further information please contact Andrew at media(at)caat·org·uk or call 020 7281 0297.
