Ethics and pragmatism

The murder of a Saudi dissident  at their consulate in Turkey, and the indiscriminate bombing of civilians, including many children in Yemen raises questions not only on how Britain should treat the Saudi regime, but whether there is an element of double standards in the way we treat regimes with poor human rights records. The UK reacted strongly to the killing of a Russian former spy and his partner in Bristol, but we hesitate to fall out with the Saudis because we want there cooperation, and next to the USA we are their largest supplier of arms. The argument goes like this: cancelling arms contracts would put many people out of work, and anyway if we don't sell arms to the Saudis, the United States would. But that is like saying if we don't aid and abet a country in carrying out an illegal act, someone else will! 

China also has a poor human rights record and recently Chinese Muslims have been persecuted and imprisoned simply for practising their religion. most other Chinese can go about their business without interference, unless you do or say anything against the government or its policies, and of course what people can read is censored. However we engage with China on many levels, and our government hopes that with Br exit trade will increase. Pragmatism wins out every time!