Our Executive Member, Helen Martins, had her letter published in the Morning Star on 1 September 2025, which articulates our disgust toward the DSEI arms fair taking place at Newham’s Excel centre.
AGAIN this month Britain’s warmongers will be rolling out the red carpet to arms dealers and military personnel from the world’s most vio-lent, authoritarian, genocidal and undemocratic regimes to showcase weapons and tools for wars and armed violence.
Welcoming them with open arms, our war-addicted government will be aiding and abetting these appalling regimes with appalling weapons for their appalling crimes at Defence & Security Equipment International. London’s biennial arms fair at Newham’s Excel centre.
In contrast to the event name, these appalling products do not offer either defence or security. Selling weapons is not what will keep us or anyone safe. This is where war and repression starts, where it is glorified and celebrated, perpetrated and perpetuated, and where massive profits are made for the merchants of death.
Peddling arms is one way in which the government is actively enabling Israel to continue its genocide in Gaza. And Israeli arms dealers are invited and welcomed to the arms fair by the government so it can continue its lucrative arms sales and other support for Israel. The government also continues to sell arms to Ukraine, with no intent to negotiate a settlement. The same applies to other parts of the world where British weapons are killing. harming and traumatising people, destroying their communities and environments.
More weapons will not end wars. Wars cause human mis-ery, death and destruction, and ecocide – and more wars. The only people who profit from war are arms manufacturers.
No to London showcasing weapons and tools for wars and armed violence. No to the death, destruction, displacement and, violent oppression and repression these weapons cause. No to those who profit from war, killing. genocide, injustice, corruption and abusing human rights.
HELEN MARTINS, Minster-on-Sea
