For years, it was suspected that Britain's biggest arms company maintained a slush fund providing millions of pounds in gifts and largesse to keep its most important clients in the Saudi Arabian government sweet. British Aerospace has always refused to comment on the rumours, insisting only that it has done nothing illegal.
In this Money Programme special, reporter
Michael Robinson talks to whistleblowers who doled out BAe's money and reveals just how far the company was prepared to go to keep its customers happy and lubricate the wheels of the al-Yamamah defence contract.
Producer Martin Small The Battle for Marks and Spencer starts a new series of The Money Programme tomorrow at 7.30pm