TWO audience members received applause on the BBC's Question Time show after demanding to know why the UK was still exporting arms to Israel.
The programme was in Dundee on Thursday evening, and featured Scotland Secretary Ian Murray, the Scottish Government’s Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth, Conservative shadow energy minister Andrew Bowie, Scottish LibDem MP Wendy Chamberlain and journalist Ian MacWhirter.
This Thursday on Question Time, Fiona will be joined in Dundee by Jenny Gilruth, Ian Murray, Andrew Bowie, Wendy Chamberlain, and Iain Macwhirter Would you like to be in this week's audience? Apply here: https://t.co/CXxg8Qn7nm#bbcqt pic.twitter.com/cgx4lAsKR5
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When discussing the crisis in the Middle East, a man in the audience said: “I totally agree that diplomatic efforts need to be better, but why is the UK still selling arms to Israel?”
He was met with applause from the audience, before continuing: “They’ve paused some of the contracts, but it’s less than a tenth of arms contracts that were stopped.
“We’re essentially aiding and abetting a war. We’re providing parts to jet fighter planes that are still bombing Gaza. “I don’t understand why we’re doing it.”
A woman in the audience then spoke, saying she agreed with the man’s comments.
🗣️ 'How many countries does Israel need to bomb for you to stop selling arms to them?' Watch as two members of the BBC Question Time audience slam the UK Government's policy on arms sales ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ZnoI8xMdsO
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“I think the previous Conservative government and the current Labour Government have not held Israel to account at all,” she said.
“They’ve continued to say Israel has a right to defend itself but not hold any sort of boundaries on that whatsoever.
“And now it’s progressing to three or four countries across the Middle East.
“So when does ‘defend yourself’ end? How many countries is Israel going to bomb before you finally stop selling arms to them and hold them to account?”
She was also met with applause, before host Fiona Bruce turned to the panel for a response.
Murray (above) said: “In the Middle East, it’s only talking that’s going to get this resolved. There’s no bullets or bombs that are going to solve the issues in the Middle East,” he said.
He defended the UK’s position on arms sales to Israel, adding that “all of our licences have been assessed under international law”.
Meanwhile, Gilruth said: “We’ve been pressing in the SNP for the ceasing of all arms sales to Israel.
“We welcome the fact that the UK Government has taken some action, but we want them to go further.”
