Within just days of being selected as the Green Party’s City and East 2012 London Assembly elections candidate [1], Chris Smith, has stepped into the row over the DSEi [2] international arms fair due to open today (13th September) by calling on Newham’s mayor, Sir Robin Wales, to denounce the event and put an end to further weapons trade fairs in the borough.
Chris Smith, who stood as the Greens’ parliamentary candidate in Poplar and Limehouse last year, said:
"It amazes me that we continue to have the world’s largest international arms fair in Newham. The council has once again let down the community by allowing this event to run at the ExCel Centre.
"Surely at a time when we have clearly seen the dangers of arming dictators it is totally unacceptable to be hosting a fully integrated arms and weapons trade fair.
"More bizarrely, event organiser, Clarion Events, also organises family events such as The Baby Show. I’m certain that if parents were aware of this arms fair they would boycott all future events. I call upon Newham’s mayor to denounce the DSEi and act swiftly to end once and for all this grotesque trade in guns and bombs."
The Green Party has a long history of campaigning against the twice-yearly DSEi arms fair. It wants to see a dramatic reduction in arms sales worldwide by ending government support for and subsidies of arms exports.
CHRIS SMITH
Notes to Editors
[1] The City and East constituency encompasses Tower Hamlets, Newham, Barking and Dagenham and City of London.
[2] DSEi (Defence & Security Equipment International), is one of the biggest events on the international arms fair circuit, taking place every two years at the ExCel centre in London’s Docklands. This year it is running at the ExCel centre from the 13thth- 16thth September. For more info see: www.dsei.co.uk