Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

Police investigate Conservative MP Bob Stewart's Bahrain comment

Police investigate Conservative MP Bob Stewart's Bahrain comment

Police are investigating an allegation of racial abuse after Tory MP Bob Stewart told a human rights activist to "go back to Bahrain".

Scotland Yard said they had opened the case following a complaint from Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, who had a confrontation with the MP in central London.

The Beckenham MP also told the campaigner to "get stuffed".

Mr Stewart said he regretted the comments but insisted he was "not being racist in any way".

Mr Alwadaei, the director of advocacy at the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, challenged Mr Stewart on his connections with Bahrain outside an event to mark the National Day of Bahrain last Wednesday.

Footage of the incident outside the Foreign Office's Lancaster House shows Mr Stewart responding: "Bahrain's a great place. End of."

He later added: "Go away, I hate you. You make a lot of fuss. Go back to Bahrain."

After being repeatedly asked if he had accepted any money from the Bahraini government, Mr Stewart said: "You're taking money off my country, go away!"

Mr Stewart, a former Army officer who was stationed in Bahrain in the 1960s, later expressed contrition for his original remarks.

"The protesters persistently taunted me by saying I had taken money from Bahrain," he said.

"That deeply offended me. I certainly have not and told them so repeatedly.

"I admit I fell for the taunts and should not have responded which I regret. My comments were meant to tell them they could protest safely in Bahrain... Bahrain gets a very unfair press and I feel that strongly.

"I am sorry if anyone thought I was being racist in any way. Honestly I was not. I wish now I had not been drawn by the taunts (a mistake) but I was and I repeat, I apologise for that. The last thing I meant to be was racist as I have so many good Bahraini friends."

Mr Alwadaei fled Bahrain in 2011 after being arrested for taking part in anti-government protests and was able to claim political asylum in the UK in 2012.

Speaking following the incident with Mr Stewart. Mr Alwadaei said: "I still have the scars from where the authorities kicked me in the head, and if I went back to Bahrain I would face further torture and imprisonment. My family members are still suffering from reprisals."

He added: "I don't believe I would have been told to 'go back' to the country that violently tortured me if it weren't for the colour of my skin. No-one should be subjected to racial abuse."

Mr Alwadaei said he had also complained to the parliamentary commissioner for standards, Kathryn Stone and the Conservative party chairman Nadhim Zahawi.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: "We have an established code of conduct and formal processes where complaints can be made in confidence. This process is rightly confidential."


Watch: Video provided by activist Sayed Alwadaei shows his confrontation with Tory MP Bob Stewart


Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
×