Rishi Sunak refuses to kick out Tory MP charged with racially abusing man
Rishi Sunak is refusing to kick out a Tory MP charged with racially abusing a man he allegedly told to "go back to Bahrain".
Scotland Yard launched an investigation after a complaint was made by activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, who has said he is living in exile after being tortured in the Gulf state.
Bob Stewart, the MP for Beckenham, is alleged to have told Mr Alwadaei to "get stuffed" and that he is "taking money off my country" during an angry confrontation last December.
The Metropolitan Police said today that the 73-year-old politician has been charged with a racially aggravated public order offence over the incident outside the Foreign Office's Lancaster House.
He will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on July 5.
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Activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei made the complaintThe MP is also charged with an alternative count of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
This is to allow the court discretion on the racial element of the allegation and does not relate to a separate incident, the police said.
It is understood that Stewart will keep the Tory whip following the authorisation of the charges.
A party source said: “We will not be suspending the whip at this time.
“Bob has been clear that he regrets the comments that he made and he will be fighting the charges against him during a court appearance shortly.”
Stewart, a former British Army officer, has represented Beckenham in south east London 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.
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