UK Prime Minister Faces Criticism In Parliament For Cutting Yemen Aid

LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd March, 2021) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson found himself in trouble on Wednesday after Labour Party leader Keir Starmer urged him in parliament to explain why the government decided to cut its humanitarian aid to Yemen while continuing to sell arms to Saudi Arabia.

"The UN has said that Yemen faces the worst famine the world has seen for decades. And the secretary general said on Monday that cutting aid would be, in his words, a death sentence for the people of Yemen. How on earth can the prime minister justify selling arms to Saudi Arabia and cutting aid to people starving in Yemen?" the leader of the opposition asked Johnson during the televised weekly session in which the prime minister takes questions from lawmakers.

On Monday, the UK government announced that due to the economic difficulties derived from the COVID-19 pandemic, the country will only provide 87 million Pounds ($121 million) in humanitarian support to Yemen, a 54 percent cut from the 214 million pounds ($298 million) pledged in 2020.

The decision, which Starmer described as "unconscionable," has prompted criticism from both opposition and several Conservative lawmakers, as well as from human rights organizations.

Johnson stated, however, that the UK has given war-torn Yemen 1 billion pounds since the conflict began seven years ago, and immediately tried to turn the tide on his political rival and accused him of making the humanitarian situation in the Arab country the focus of the session.

"He can't even address a question on the issues of the hour ... He could have asked anything about the coronavirus pandemic, instead he's concentrated his questions entirely to the interests of the people of Yemen," the prime minister said.

But Starmer ignored the remarks and again questioned the government for continuing to sell arms to Saudi Arabia that could be used in the conflict in Yemen, even when the US has decided to put arms sales for the Saudi government on halt.

"We sold 1.4 billion pounds of arms for Saudi Arabia in three months last year, including bombs and missiles that could be used in Yemen ... I have to ask, what would it take for the prime minister to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia?" he asked.

The prime minister argued that the UK has been "scrupulously" following the consolidated international guidance on arms sales.