Campaigners have won a landmark legal challenge against the British government over its decision to continue to allow arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) argued that the decision to continue to license military equipment for export to the Gulf state, which is leading a coalition of forces in the Yemeni conflict was unlawful.

The group said export licences should not have been granted as there was a clear risk that the arms might be used in a serious violation of international humanitarian law.

Three senior judges at the Court of Appeal in Central London ruled on Thursday that the ‘process of decision-making by the government was wrong in law in one significant respect’.

Announcing the court’s decision, Master of the Rolls, Sir Terence Etherton presiding with Lord Justice Irwin and Lord Justice Singh held that the UK government made no concluded assessments of whether the Saudi-led coalition had committed violations of international humanitarian law in the past.

Sir Terrance however said the ruling does not mean that licences to export arms to Saudi Arabia must immediately be suspended.

He stressed that the British government must reconsider the matter and estimate any future risks in light of their conclusions about the past.