Liberal Democrat Acting Leader boycotts state visit by Saudi King

4.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 29th Oct 2007

Acting Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable is boycotting the state visit of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. Dr Cable has turned down an invite to a Buckingham Palace banquet in the King's honour, citing Saudi Arabia's poor human rights record, and the alleged corruption around the regime's arms deal with the British firm BAE.

Vince Cable, Acting Leader, said "I have introduced three debates in Parliament this year expressing serious concerns over the Al-Yamamah contract and the corruption allegedly involved. I have, in my arguments, also been very critical of members of the Saudi royal family and the Saudi record on human rights including its maltreatment of British citizens. In my opinion, it is quite wrong for the British government to have proposed a state visit at this time. Therefore, it would, I believe, be inappropriate for me to participate in a ceremonial state visit against this background."