Saudi Arabia’s extremisms and the British connection
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In this week’s Private Eye an article has highlighted that a Tory inspired Think tank is highlighting the extent that Saudi is funding extremism. At the same time Theresa May continues to sit on a report about Saudi extremism.
In an article, Saudi Seeds, in this week’s Private Eye, it has been disclosed that the Jackson Society think tank has confirmed Saudis deep seated promotion of extremism. (Private Eye, July, 2017) This concerning revelation is probably not a surprise to those who read John Pilger and his analyses of the British connection to terrorism. One such article, Pilger has written, examines how much the UK Prime Minister knew about the extent of extremism on home turf and our own government’s connection to Saudi funded extremism and terrorism (Pilger.com, 2017). However this validation brings into question Theressa May’s lack of transparency in relation to the arming and funding of the Saudi Kingdom.
The Jackson Society think tank was set up in 2005 and Michael Gove (the recently appointed environment secretary) was involved in the think tank’s inception. Gove also became a trustee of the organisation, in January, during his short hiatus from government. (Private Eye, July, 2017)
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It is no secret that Theressa May has sanctioned arms sales to Saudi and the world has watched on in horror as Saudi continue to Bomb Yemen, with very little media attention (The Guardian, June, 2017). Last month BAE delivered the last of 72 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft to the Saudi Kingdom and further arms deals are expected (Jane’s 360, June 2017). Although it is likely that the British government will continue to ignore reports that disclose extremism, within the Saudi Kingdom, as there are more weapons sales in the pipeline, this will be an embarrassing situation for the government (Private Eye, July, 2017).
This level of embarrassment will probably be felt most acutely for Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, who was on the Jackson Society’s political council (Private Eye, July, 2017). As her role is to counter such extremism, that her old contemporaries have disclosed lies at the core of the Saudi Kingdom, there are serious concerns about the ethical make up of the current British government and the transparency of their foreign policy.
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