The Saudis welcomed to the UK like our brethern

[Jimgward]

Theresa Grey has made a massive mistake in this desperation for Saudi military spending in the UK. Prepared to prostitute the Royal Family and the country to appease despot leaders of a country stuck in the 19th century of attitudes and committing genocide in the Yemen. Shame.

[Jimgym]

As it has always been with successive Prime Ministers.

[Ramone]

We have been in bed with the Saudis for years & have done very well out of it.
Long may it continue.

[boycott]

How many of the British public really bothered or care about what is or isn't happening in Yemen? (How many can really say they know where it is?)

What has it got to do with the UK what Saudi does with the weapons that we sell to them.
We sell cars there but didn't insist that women must be allowed to drive them.

[Lincoln]

The new Crown Prince is like a breath of fresh air. I am delighted that he and his ministers have been made welcome. Long may the relationship the the BRITISH have with Saudi Arabia continue.

[Jimgward]

We sold weapons to Libya and Iraq - then decided their regimes were not democratic enough for us.... but then again, they didnt buy as many weapons of war as the Saudis.... to those who applaud us cosying into a regime that really hates everything about our way of life, who were the main founders of terror with ISIL and who are committing attrocities in Yemen.... we will reap what we sow!

[josef k]

Relations between the UK and Saudi should be encouraged. They have been behind the times in social matters for a considerable time, but things are changing. Women are to be allowed to drive and women can now attend, and compete, in sporting events. Also, the abaya (the black number worn by all Saudi women) is no longer compulsory. Small changes from our point of view perhaps, but giant steps for Saudi. Encourage relations and that will encourage more changes.

As to genocide in Yemen, I don't think the current conflict qualifies for that title as yet. Anyway, who are we to criticise? The UK has done it's fair share of blasting hell out of a country in the past, and I do mean recent past.

[WHL]

Unfortunately where there’s money to be made..morals and self respect go out of the window, Saudi Arabia and all it stands for ie beheadings, lashings, amputations etc etc ,,,should be wiped off the face of the Earth.

[Dominic]

Surely that is a tad extreme? Would that make you any better than them?

[WHL]

Surely that is a tad extreme? Would that make you any better than them?

Dominic I meant their out dated views should be wiped off the face of the earth, you know the worse thing about these morons, they will happily flog someone within an inch of their lives for drinking or having sex, yet when these hypocrites, are abroad anything goes for them,seen it with my own eyes, we were on a fancy carribean cruise some years back, my adult kids got friendly with some royal Saudi couples,on board, and they hang out together for the cruise, drinks didn’t stop flowing and a few puffs on the islands were had,, and when my kids said goodnight to them after a night of partying ..young ladies would go into the saudis bedrooms for the night, maybe they spent the night playing scrabble, but doubt it.

[Dominic]

You are not wrong there.

[Ramone]

What some Saudis act & do on holiday would never happen in there own country.
A bit like some Brits really !!!!!!

[WHL]

What some Saudis act & do on holiday would never happen in there own country.
A bit like some Brits really !!!!!!

I don’t think cutting limbs off, flogging, beheading happens in the UK...as I said evil regime

[Ramone]

WHL, You know what I meant. If you didn't, I can't be bothered to explain !!

[WHL]

WHL, You know what I meant. If you didn't, I can't be bothered to explain !!

Yes I know what .you meant..but Brits getting out of there heads on booze on holiday is no different then Brits getting off there heads at home...not hypercritical,,,Saudi royals having booze/drugs and sex with call girls/boys while on holiday then going home and passing laws to have Saudis flogged for doing the same is hypercritical.

[Jimgward]

The Saudis appear to be much larger supporter and casuses of terror and unrest in the Middle East than Iran or anyone else.

I’m sure Amos, if truly Israeli, could enlighten us all....

Just because we continue to sell them arms doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have an an excuse to criticise. If it helps change things, great. If it affected the £16bn typhoon deal, then morally we are in the right. We prostitute ourselves enough and sell arms at any cost. We were the largest manufacturer of land-mines and employed scientists to invent ever cheaper and more affordable anti-personnel mines that have blighted half the world

[WHL]

It was Saudis who caused the Twin towers to crash with the lose of thousands of innocent lives, not Iranians, its Saudi money thats causing extremist Islamists to preach their evil message across the Globe, but never mind a nice cup of tea with liz, will make things OK.

[Jimgward]

I understand an arms industry, but we cannot sell arms willy-nilly simply to make money, then reserve the right to criticise and complain - just as you've said.... however, we armed Iraq... we armed Libya and we trained fighters in Afghanistan and Syria and likely armed them as well... In that respect, we seem unable to resist the money from sales, irrespective of the destination.

That's why we are unable to deal properly with the Saudis.

I have no problem with selling arms to European partners, the US or trusted destinations, but the UK has a history of not caring where the arms goes, until it bites us on the arsenal.

[tonee]

And who remembers our close allies....the French...selling Excocet missiles to the Argies...who in turn used them against us in the Falklands war!