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United Kingdom

Britain's Arms Export Licences Surge Under Tony Blair's Government

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Britain granted over 10,300 arms export licences in 1998, according to official information, sparking concerns over the country's commitment to its "ethical" foreign policy. The figures, released by the European Union, revealed that Britain was second only to Germany in the number of arms export licences issued, with France trailing behind. The statistics come as a surprise, given the Labour government's stated commitment to restricting arms exports, particularly to sensitive regions.

Key Takeaways:

  • The UK government issued a total of 10,385 arms export licences in 1998, with 9,869 being individual licences and 499 open licences.
  • The value of arms exports was not provided, but the British defence industry is the most lucrative on the Continent.
  • The Labour government released statistics for its first nine months in office, showing that 6,418 individual licences and 156 open licences were issued.
  • The new figures for 1998 appear to show a proportionately higher rate of sales compared to the first nine months.
  • Licences were refused on 43 occasions since June last year, and the government consulted fellow member states seven times on whether to proceed.
  • The sale of crowd-control ammunition to Bangladesh, sub-machine-guns to the Philippines and Mexico, and refurbished cluster bombs to Ecuador are areas of concern highlighted by the pressure group Saferworld.
  • The UK government's arms exports included shipments to Zimbabwe, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, among others.

Statistics:

  • 10,385: Total number of arms export licences issued by the UK government in 1998.
  • 9,869: Individual licences issued by the UK government in 1998.
  • 499: Open licences issued by the UK government in 1998.
  • 7,222: Number of licences issued by France in 1998.
  • 6,2bn euros: Total value of arms exports in France in 1998.
  • 11,400: Number of contracts earned by Germany's defence industry in 1998.
  • 2.8bn euros: Total value of arms exports in Germany in 1998.
  • 43: Number of occasions licenses were refused since June last year.
  • 7: Number of times the government consulted fellow member states on whether to proceed with arms exports.

Sources:

  • "Britain granted 10,385 arms export licences in 1998: Government's 'ethical' foreign policy 'bombed' by sales", The Independent, [No date mentioned]
  • "The first annual report on the EU's code of conduct on arms exports", EU, [No date mentioned]
  • "Report on UK arms exports", Saferworld, [No date mentioned]

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