The government has applied to continue arms sales to Saudi Arabia as it fights a decision by the Court of Appeal to rule them unlawful.

Ministers are attempting to stay last month’s judgment as they launch the latest legal challenge in a long-running battle over weapons used in the Yemen war.

If granted, the stay will allow the government to continue licensing arms sales to Saudi and its partners until the outcome of its appeal.

The government said 57 applications for export licences were under consideration at the time of the Court of Appeal ruling, and 295 already in place to Saudi Arabia.

The Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) argued that arms sales to Riyadh are unlawful and have caused UK fighter jets and bombs to be used to kill civilians.

Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Show all 17 1 /17 Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Doctors take some blood of Yemeni Yousef Abdullah Bakhit Ali, 13, suffering from severe acute malnutrition. With ongoing and unending conflict in Yemen, humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate across the country Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor weighs Yemeni baby Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef, 9 months suffering from malnutrition Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal,12 years old and suffering from severe acute malnutrition. He arrives with his family at a Unicef supported treatment centre in a hospital in Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor measures the arm of Yemeni Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal, 12, who is suffering from malnutrition at a treatment centre in a hospital in Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen There are over 400,000 severely malnourished children in need urgent lifesaving assistance in Yemen Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal is weighed Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor measures the arm of baby Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to reach 275,000 malnourished children with critical life-saving supplies and care for over 5 million people with safe and clean water to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef with his family in his house in the outskirts of the capital Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen The country is on the brink of famine and children's chances of survival are becoming slimmer by the day Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal has his arm measured Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to provide nearly 1 million children with vaccines and healthcare Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Doctors take some blood of Yemeni Yousef Abdullah Bakhit Ali, 13 years old suffering from severe acute malnutrition at a treatment centre in a hospital in the capital Sanaa on November 2, 2018. (Release obtained) With ongoing and unending conflict in Yemen, humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate across the country. There are over 400,000 severely malnourished children in need urgent lifesaving assistance in Yemen. The country is on the brink of famine and childrenâ€™s chances of survival are becoming slimmer by the day. UNICEF are working with partners around-the clock to save children suffering from malnutrition and disease. We are currently working to reach: â€¢ 275,000 malnourished children with critical life-saving supplies and care â€¢ Over 5 million people with safe and clean water to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases â€¢ Nearly 1 million children with vaccines and healthcare â€¢ 9 million people with emergency cash assistance to help families buy basic commodities so they can survive Â© UNICEF/UN0253367/ Huwais Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are working with partners around-the clock to save children suffering from malnutrition and disease Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to provide 9 million people with emergency cash assistance to help families buy basic commodities so they can survive Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal is suffering from malnutrition Unicef Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen On 31 October 2018 in Yemen, the Al Thawra Hospital in Hodeidah where children are being treated for severe acute malnutrition. UNICEF Regional Director for Middle East and North Africa Geert Cappelaere visited Yemen from 29 October through 1 November 2018. As of 30 October 2018, over 11 million children â€“ 80 per cent of all children in the country â€“ require humanitarian assistance, due to the impact of the ongoing conflict. Worsening years of underdevelopment, attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure and lack of salary payments for most civil servants have pushed basic services for children to the brink. Children face food shortages, disease, displacement and an acute lack of access to basic social services. One out of three children in Yemen is at risk of acute malnutrition. Â© UNICEF/UN0253574/Abdulhaleem Unicef/Abdulhaleem

“We weren’t surprised when the application came in because the government will do anything it can to maintain arms sales to Saudi Arabia,” spokesperson Andrew Smith told The Independent.

“The stay would let them carry on as normal.”

Jeremy Corbyn called for a full inquiry into why ministers have “disregarded the evidence that Saudi Arabia is violating international humanitarian law” in Yemen.

“Despite clear legal warnings that the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia has contributed to the worst humanitarian catastrophe in the world, the Conservatives are determined to allow sales to carry on regardless,” the Labour leader said.

“This makes a mockery of their own commitment to halt all new sales while a review takes place into civilian casualties.

“Nothing could be clearer - the government's priority is to sell arms, not to protect the rights and lives of Yemeni people.”

The Court of Appeal found the government “made no concluded assessments of whether the Saudi-led coalition had committed violations of international humanitarian law in the past, during the Yemen conflict, and made no attempt to do so”.

Judges said that it was “irrational and therefore unlawful” for the international trade secretary to license weapons exports without assessing past allegations and whether there was a “clear risk” of future breaches.

In the wake of the ruling on 20 June, international trade secretary Liam Fox insisted the government applied a “rigorous and robust multi-layered process” in line with UK and EU criteria.

He said the government would not grant any new export licences for Saudi and its military partners in Yemen.

Video shows damaged buildings and homes in Yemen village hit by Saudi-led coalition airstrikes

A government spokesperson said the commitment would be honoured in spite of the application to stay the judgment.

“We will fully comply with the court’s judgment, but we are seeking permission to appeal the court’s ruling,” a statement said.

“As we said at the time, we will not be granting any new licences for Saudi Arabia and coalition partners for items which might be used in the conflict in Yemen, while we consider the implications of the judgment for decision-making.”

The High Court had previously ruled in the government’s favour, finding that it was “rationally entitled” to conclude that the Saudi-led coalition was not deliberately targeting civilians and was investigating reported incidents.

CAAT challenged the 2017 ruling and took fresh evidence from the Yemen conflict to the Court of Appeal, which reviewed classified material in closed hearings earlier this year.

Judges found that although the UK had “engaged closely” with Riyadh in attempt to minimise civilian casualties in Yemen, the efforts fell short of the legal obligation to assess the risk of war crimes.

Saudi Arabia leads a coalition that has been conducting airstrikes in Yemen since 2015, in support of President Abedrabbuh Mansour Hadi against Houthi rebels and other opponents.

CAAT said thousands of people have been killed in Saudi-led bombing, and many more as a result of an ongoing humanitarian “catastrophe”, which includes a cholera outbreak and starvation.