Scotland Yard said MP Bob Stewart had been charged with a racially aggravated public order offence after an incident outside the Foreign Office’s Lancaster House on December 14 last year. Police opened a case after the complaint from activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, who says he is living in exile after being tortured in the Gulf state of Bahrain.
The MP for Beckenham in south-east London is alleged to have told Mr Alwadaei during an angry confrontation on December 14 to “get stuffed” and that he is “taking money off my country”.
The offence is believed to have been "racially aggravated" and involved the MP "using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress".
In a statement, the force said: “Robert Alexander Stewart, 73, a Member of Parliament, of Beckenham, Bromley, was charged by postal requisition on Monday June 5 with: - Using threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour and the offence was racially aggravated. (Contrary to section 31 (1) (c) and (5) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.)
“- Using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. (Contrary to section 5 (1) and (6) of the Public Order Act 1986.) Both offences are alleged to have occurred on Wednesday, 14 December 2022 in Belgravia, London, SW1.
“Stewart will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 5 July.” It said both charges related to the same incident and that the “second offence is an alternative charge to allow the court discretion on the racial element”.
It is understood that Stewart will keep the Tory whip following the authorisation of the charges. Stewart, a former British Army officer, has represented Beckenham since 2010 and is currently the chairman of the all-parliamentary group on Bahrain.
Mr Alwadaei, 36, who said he was tortured after taking part in anti-government protests in the country, is the director of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy.
