Editing BAE Systems (section)

===Political influence and donations===
Former Foreign Secretary [[Robin Cook]] said of his time in office that he "came to learn that the chairman of BAE appeared to have the key to the garden door to [[10 Downing Street|number 10]]. Certainly I never knew No 10 to come up with any decision which would be incommoding to BAE."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/the-firm-with-a-back-door-key-to-number-10-1796377.html |title=The firm with a 'back door key to Number 10' |newspaper=The Independent |access-date=2 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170407053440/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/the-firm-with-a-back-door-key-to-number-10-1796377.html |archive-date=7 April 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In the United States BAE Systems is a significant political donor to both Democratic and Republican candidates and organisations.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ralph |first1=Alex |last2=Greenwood |first2=George |title=Donations to US election candidates linked to British companies |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/us-world/article/donations-linked-to-companies-06tj6hw8v |website=[[The Times]] |access-date=5 June 2021}}</ref> In 2016 its [[political action committee]] (PAC) contributions were the second largest of any foreign corporation after [[UBS]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Knigge |first1=Michael |title=Foreign-connected PACs spent $10 million on the US election so far |url=https://www.dw.com/en/foreign-connected-pacs-spent-10-million-on-the-us-election-so-far/a-19297597 |access-date=5 June 2021 |publisher=DW}}</ref> In January 2021 following the [[2021 United States Capitol attack]] BAE Systems announced that it was suspending political donations in the US. On 30 March it once again began making large political contributions, including one to the [[National Republican Senatorial Committee]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gould |first1=Joe |date=4 June 2021 |title=Defense firms quietly resume political giving after post-insurrection pause |url=https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2021/06/04/defense-firms-quietly-resume-political-giving-after-post-insurrection-pause/ |access-date=5 June 2021 |publisher=Defense News}}</ref>