Emily Thornberry MP, Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary, responding to yesterday’s air strike on a funeral hall in Saana, the capital of Yemen, which is feared to have killed and injured hundreds of mourners, has said:

“As I said just a few days ago in Liverpool, it cannot be right that – when faced with the conflict we see in Yemen, the scale of civilian casualties, and millions of children across the country facing starvation – the Government’s primary diplomatic involvement is selling planes and weapons to the Saudi-led coalition, with no guarantees that they won’t be used against civilians.

“Instead, Labour urges the Government to follow the lead of the United States in the wake of this attack, and urgently review its support for the Saudi-led coalition, as well as placing an immediate suspension on the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia until there has been a full and independent investigation into these attacks against civilians.

“We also join the calls of the UN Secretary General, Ban-Ki Moon, for all sides engaged in this conflict to halt the violence, so that desperately-needed humanitarian relief can be provided to avert the risk of famine.”

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