UK trade summit in Saudi Arabia accused of promoting firms linked to senior Tories

Lib Dem’s deputy leader says Conservatives have ‘serious questions to answer’ about what appears to be clear conflict of interest

Oliver Dowden’s flagship government trade summit in Saudi Arabia has been criticised for helping to promote businesses linked to a string of senior Conservatives, including peers and the former chair of the party, Ben Elliot.

The deputy prime minister has been in Riyadh this week launching the government-backed Great Futures campaign to promote British trade with Saudi Arabia, despite the Gulf country’s controversial record on the repression of women and LGBT people.