Britain’s relationship with Gulf states needs updating

Those states have invested heavily in Britain, but their record on human rights is often terrible

David Haigh, centre, has been accused of “cyber slander” (Getty)

David Haigh, the former chief executive of Leeds United, will spend this Christmas in jail in Dubai, having been accused of the ludicrous crime of “cyber slander”. Mr Haigh, 38, who claims to have been tricked into going to Dubai in the first place, had expected to return to Britain last month after serving 18 months of a two-year sentence for financial misappropriation.

We do not know if Mr Haigh is guilty, though Dubai’s legal traditions don’t offer much comfort. But his story is one of several that have entered the public domain in recent times. Another, which we also report today, concerns 32-year-old Michael Halliday, from the Midlands. Mr Halliday, who is gay, is fighting extradition to the United Arab Emirates, having been accused of theft. Dubai’s treatment of sexual minorities – homosexual sex is punishable by death – doesn’t offer much comfort there, either.

Britain’s relationship with the Gulf states could emerge as a significant diplomatic theme in the year ahead. Over the past few years, those states have invested heavily in our civic and physical infrastructure, buying football clubs, hotels and almost everything in between. But their record on human rights is often terrible. This newspaper has reported, for instance, on the appalling treatment of workers and suppression of free speech in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE – at a time when its royal family is said to be the biggest landowner in Mayfair, as well as buying other chunks of the capital and Manchester City FC.

The Gulf states have also been non-compliant on two of the biggest security challenges facing Britain today. Several of them refused to take their fair share of desperate refugees over the summer. And any lasting solution to Syria’s anarchy will need regional neighbours such as the UAE to be much more fully engaged in the diplomatic effort than they are at present.

Dubious judicial processes for British citizens, billions of mostly inward investment, and the need for co-operation in resolving the most pressing problem in modern geopolitics offer the context for a resetting of Britain’s relationship with the Gulf.

Common sense on Messrs Haigh and Halliday would be a good place to start.