London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Britain ‘broke own rules’ by failing to inspect factories making bombs for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen

Britain ‘broke own rules’ by failing to inspect factories making bombs for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen

The UK government has breached its own guidelines requiring it to conduct regular inspections of controversial weapons factories making bombs used by Saudi Arabia in its aerial campaign in Yemen, a new report says.
The purpose of regular inspections is to check whether weapons producers fulfill the conditions of their export licenses. However, inspectors last visited US arms giant Raytheon’s missile factories in Glenrothes, east-central Scotland, in November 2016, and in Harlow, Essex, in November 2015.

This means Britain has breached its own guidelines requiring the inspections to be conducted “every three years” at a minimum, investigative websites Declassified UK and The Ferret reported.

The plant in Glenrothes makes parts for Paveway IV laser-guided bombs, supplied to Saudi Arabia, which has been conducting a devastating bombing campaign in Yemen for more than five years. Human Rights Watch has repeatedly warned that British-produced munitions, including Paveway bombs, are being used by Riyadh to strike civilian targets.

It is unclear exactly how many inspections have been missed, but trade minister Ranil Jayawardena told members of parliament earlier this month that a detailed report on the issue would come “at a disproportionate cost,” because the government would have to manually review all of its records. Jayawardena also previously argued that revealing the results of such inspections is “commercially sensitive.”

When asked about eight of Britain’s weapons factories, all linked to the Saudi bombing of Yemen, the minister admitted that half of them had not been inspected for more than three years. This is despite the government’s past claims that it has “the most robust” export control process in the world.

Last month, another Declassified UK report showed that the authorities missed the deadline to check a plant run by British arms company BAE Systems in Warton, Lancashire, which makes Typhoon jet fighters, also sold to Riyadh and used in Yemen air raids.

The revelations sparked criticism in Scotland. Scottish National Party MP Douglas Chapman said the situation highlights “the reckless, irresponsible attitude” of the government towards the conflict in Yemen. Scottish Green Party foreign affairs spokesperson Ross Greer blasted London for creating “a smokescreen for protecting the profits of multibillion-pound international arms firms.”

Human rights groups have long demanded that London stop selling weapons to Saudi Arabia, as UN experts and other watchdogs say Saudi airstrikes cause massive civilian casualties on the ground. Last year, Britain suspended new arms deals with Riyadh after a court in London ruled that the government had failed to guarantee that UK-made weapons are not being used against civilians in Yemen.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×