Controversial Tory bill set to inflict further damage on businesses, with no clues yet about incoming legislation.

As Boris Johnson prepares to schmooze Saudi Arabia, Sam Bright reports on the UK’s growing trade relationships with despotic regimes.

UK arms manufacturers have been hit by long delays in attempts to export weapons overseas because of Brexit red tape, a leading trade body has told MPs.

Weapons manufacturers are being forced to wait up to six months for licenses to export their products due to Brexit red tape, MPs have been told.

In just the first few months of 2021, the UK has slashed its overseas aid budget, made clear its intent to pursue trade deals at all costs – including turning a blind eye to human rights atrocities and genocide – and announced an increase in funding to the UK’s weapons of mass destruction by 40%, signalling the start of a new arms race and ripping up 30 years of commitment to gradual disarmament.

It is not true that the EU failed to help the UK in the Falklands War, or that it sent weapons to Argentina during the conflict.

Britain has dramatically increased the value of weaponry and defence equipment it sells to the world’s most repressive regimes since vows by senior ministers to expand arms exports after the Brexit vote.

In the last six months, Liam Fox has been on a whistle-stop tour of authoritarian regimes.