Human rights organisation Amnesty International UK has said Liam Fox's cancellation of his trip to the Saudi summit "appears to be a recognition of the fact that cheerleading for business in Saudi Arabia when the country is accused of murdering a journalist is simply beyond the pale".

However, Amnesty' ahead of policy and government affairs Allan Hogarth added "the prospect of doing business in Saudi Arabia was tainted well before the shocking disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi".

Mr Hogarth said Saudi Arabia’s "appalling human rights record" was well-documented.

"Any company thinking of doing business in the country should ask itself how a Government that bombs civilian targets in Yemen, imprisons human rights defenders at home and apparently disappears a journalist overseas, can become a reliable business partner that won’t taint their company’s reputation?

“As we’ve been saying for a long time, the UK needs to seriously re-appraise its entire relationship with Saudi Arabia, breaking free of overly-cosy relations which have seen ministers unwilling to publicly criticise human rights abuses in the country.”