What are the SNP’s views on arms exports?

The SNP are clear that no arms licence exports should ever be granted to states’ who are in breach of international law or international humanitarian law.

We are guided by the principles of the UN Charter, and as an independent nation Scotland would be a proactive force in upholding the standards of accountability for violations of human rights and international law.

The SNP would seek to join international conventions such as the Genocide Convention, and to ratify international treaties such as the Geneva Conventions, which hold states’ accountable to the laws of war and violations of international humanitarian law.

The SNP are committed to an independent defence industry and military which is underpinned by these principles. We believe that we can have a thriving defence force and profitable defence industry which work with international standards of human rights in order to ensure that we are contributing to a safer world, not a more dangerous one.