(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – Theresa May has defended her trip to Saudi Arabia, saying its ties with the UK are important for security and prosperity.
The prime minister is facing questions about the UK’s support for the Saudi-led coalition which is fighting rebels in neighbouring Yemen.
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said UK-made weapons were contributing to a “humanitarian catastrophe”.
But the PM said the UK was also a “significant donor” of aid.
Speaking to journalists as she travelled to Jordan, which she is visiting before travelling to Saudi Arabia, Mrs May said humanitarian aid was one of the issues she would be discussing on her trip.
“We are concerned about the humanitarian situation – that’s why the UK last year was the fourth largest donor to the Yemen in terms of humanitarian aid – £103m. We will be continuing with that,” she told the BBC.
“And yes, we will be raising the humanitarian issue. We believe it is important that we recognise the threat that there is in terms of people’s lives. We will be supporting that through the aid and support that we give.”
Mrs May said she would also be raising human rights issues with her Saudi hosts, adding that “if we have the relationship we are able to do that”.
“So rather than just standing on the sidelines and sniping, it’s important to engage, to talk to people, to talk about our interests and to raise, yes, difficult issues when we feel it’s necessary to do so.”
She also defended the drive to strike new trade links, saying the UK had “long-term and historic relationships” with Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
The countries, she said, were “important for us in terms of security, they are importance for us in terms of defence and yes, in terms of trade.
“But as I said when I came to the Gulf at the end of last year, Gulf security is our security and Gulf prosperity is our prosperity.”
The PM was asked by the BBC’s deputy political editor John Pienaar what “the May doctrine of foreign policy” was.
She replied that it was “that everything we do is in our British national interest”.
“It’s in our British national interest to have good relations around the world so we can trade around the world – that brings jobs and prosperity to the UK,” she said.
“It’s also in our national interest to ensure we’re working with others around the world to maintain our safety and security – and yes, it’s in our national interests to ensure that the values that underpin us as Britons are values that we promote around the world – and that’s what we’re doing.
