Vince Cable one of 40 MPs on guest list for arms dealers dinner in London

Vince Cable one of 40 MPs on guest list for arms dealers dinner in London


https://www.caat.org.uk/issues/influence/resources/2015-02-03.ads.dinner-parliamentarians.pdf

The British government's close ties to the arms industry was illustrated this week at a London banquet hosted by the UK's defence and security companies.

There were 40 MPs on the guest list for a £250-a-head gathering at the Hilton hotel on Park Lane organised by trade organisation ADS, according to information provided by activist group Campaign Against Arms Trade (Caat).

Business Secretary Vince Cable was the most high-profile attendee, and gave a speech at the event.

A spokesperson said he was there to address some of the UK's major employers, and declined to comment further.

The Independent has contacted other MPs reported to have been in attendance.

Jeremy Vine, BBC Radio 2 host who will help to lead the organisation's general election coverage, has come under fire over his speech at the event, for which he received a five-figure fee, with Caat officially complaining that his appearance is "incompatible with the corporation's values".

The BBC stated that Vine "is a freelance presenter and so can make personal appearances without speaking on behalf of the BBC".

But Caat have also taken aim at Westminster, accusing politicians of appearing close to an industry it claims "profits from dictatorships which silence and suppress debate".

Jeremy Vine criticised over speech at arms dealers dinner
Prince Charles does not want the UK selling arms in the Middle East
Andrew Smith from Caat said: "It's outrageous that the government actively supports and promotes this deadly trade.

"The fact that arms dealers were swilling champagne with over 40 MPs is a disgrace and shows the extent of the arms trade's connections and political lobbying."

Among the arms companies hosting MPs were Cobham, Raytheon, Thales, BAE Systems and MBDA.

These companies have export and business interests in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Turkey, Israel, Taiwan and Bahrain.


Parliamentarians listed on the final guest list and seating plan for the ADS Annual Defence
Dinner, 3 February 2015

Notes:
* 2015: Margaret Curran MP, Conor McGinn (assistant to Vernon Coaker MP), Nicola Blackwood MP and Jason McCartney MP
contacted us to say they did not attend. August 2016: Owen Smith MP has said he did not attend.
MP Party Constituency ADS dinner: guest of....
James Arbuthnot Conservative North East Hampshire Guest of BAE
Margaret Beckett Labour Derby South Guest of Rolls Royce
Gordon Birtw istle Liberal Democrat Burnley Guest of SAFRAN
Nicola Blackw ood* Conservative Oxford West and Abingdon Guest of ADS
Vince Cable Liberal Democrat Tw ickenham Guest of ADS and a speaker
Alun Cairns Conservative Vale of Glamorgan Guest of Raytheon
Neil Carmichael Conservative Stroud Guest of ADS
Nick Clegg Liberal Democrat Sheffield, Hallam Special Adviser Alex Dziedzan attended as guest of Raytheon
Vernon Coaker Labour Gedling Guest of ADS w ith assistant Conor McGinn*
Margaret Curran* Labour Glasgow East Guest of Raytheon
Brian Donohoe Labour Central Ayrshire Guest of Airbus
Gemma Doyle Labour West Dunbartonshire Guest of BAE
Philip Dunne Conservative Ludlow Guest of ADS plus Private Secretary Tom Burden
Tobias Ellw ood Conservative Bournemouth East Guest of Cobham
Graham Evans Conservative Weaver Vale Guest of ADS
Mark Francois Conservative Rayleigh and Wickford Guest of BAE
Mark Garnier Conservative Wyre Forest Guest of Airbus
Robert Goodw ill Conservative Scarborough and Whitby Guest of ADS
James Gray Conservative North Wiltshire Guest of ADS
Nick Harvey Liberal Democrat North Devon Guest of Cobham
Gerald How arth Conservative Aldershot Guest of Farnborough International
Kevan Jones Labour North Durham Guest of Marshall ADG
Ivan Lew is Labour Bury South Guest of Bombardier w ith assistant Heather Vernon
Julian Lew is Conservative New Forest East Guest of Airbus
Ian Lucas Labour Wrexham Guest of Finmeccanica
Peter Luff Conservative Mid Worcestershire Guest of Northrop Grumman
Mary Macleod Conservative Brentford and Islew orth Guest of Raytheon
Jason McCartney* Conservative Colne Valley Guest of ADS
Andrew Miller Labour Ellesmere Port and Neston Guest of SAFRAN
Madeleine Moon Labour Bridgend Guest of Finmeccanica
Michael Moore Liberal Democrat Berw ickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk Guest of Selex ES
Penny Mordaunt Conservative Portsmouth North Guest of BAE Systems Maritime Services
Lilian Neville-Jones Conservative Lords Guest of ADS
Chi Onw urah Labour New castle upon Tyne Central Guest of ADS
Andrew Robathan Conservative South Leicestershire Guest of Atkins
Laurence Robertson Conservative Tew kesbury Guest of SAFRAN
Alison Seabeck Labour Plymouth, Moor View Guest of Babcock
Ow en Smith* Labour Pontypridd Guest of Airbus
Clive Soley Labour Lords Guest of ADS
John Spellar Labour Warley Guest of GKN
Mike Thornton Liberal Democrat Eastleigh Guest of Eaton Aerospace
Paul Uppal Conservative Wolverhampton South West Guest of ADS
Heather Wheeler Conservative South Derbyshire Guest of ADS
John Woodcock Labour Barrow and Furness Guest of BAE