James Fountain
It appears that since the suspected assassination of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi, politicians in the UK and the US are talking with their feet.
US Correspondent for Sky News, Amanda Walker, tweeted earlier this morning that the US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will not be attending the scheduled Saudi Investment Conference:
US treasury secretary will not attend Saudi investment conference . First nod of disapproval from the US on Khashoggi
— Amanda Walker (@WalkerSkyNews) October 18, 2018
The BBC have tweeted that UK Minister for Trade, Liam Fox, will also be missing the summit. James Lansdale, BBC Domestic Correspondent this afternoon tweeted:
Breaking: I understand that
the International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has pulled out of a big international conference in Saudi Arabia next week after allegations the country was behind the killing of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.— James Landale (@BBCJLandale) October 18, 2018
There may be more top politicians to stand down due to the murky circumstances of Mr Khashoggi’s death, outlined in a The New York Times tweet earlier today:
Breaking News: U.S. intelligence officials are increasingly convinced a dissident Saudi journalist was killed and the crown prince was culpable in his death. https://t.co/HZWxUD7RYO
— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 18, 2018