Stronger UK–UAE Ties Must Deliver Protection for British Citizens, Says Detained in Dubai
London — As political attention turns to Reform’s growing engagement with the United Arab Emirates, Radha Stirling, Founder and CEO of Detained in Dubai, has urged all UK political parties to ensure that diplomatic and trade relationships with the Gulf state are used to protect British nationals rather than sideline them.
“The discussion around Reform’s engagement with the UAE should not be framed as unusual,” Stirling said. “The Emirates has significantly expanded its influence in the United Kingdom through strategic investments in infrastructure, property, technology and media. Research from organisations such as Spinwatch (report attached) has documented the scale of Emirati soft power in Britain. Engagement itself is not the issue.”
According to Stirling, the real concern is how that engagement is used.
“The issue is not whether UK politicians engage with the UAE. They all do. The issue is what those relationships are used for. For years, successive governments have prioritised trade deals and diplomatic optics over the protection of British citizens detained in the Emirates.”
Stirling pointed to the case of British national Albert Douglas, whose detention and treatment in the UAE drew international attention.
“It took us securing a ruling from the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention before meaningful pressure was applied in Albert Douglas’s case. He was arbitrarily detained, abused and left with broken bones. The UK government did not robustly intervene at the outset. Trade and diplomatic sensitivities appeared to take precedence. Even smaller countries have, at times, shown greater willingness to challenge the UAE when their citizens were at risk.”
Detained in Dubai has repeatedly raised concerns about mutual enforcement treaties, extradition agreements and deepening commercial partnerships between the UK, Europe and the UAE.
“These agreements risk prematurely legitimising a system that has repeatedly demonstrated serious due process concerns in politically sensitive or commercially significant cases,” Stirling said. “Stronger diplomatic ties do not have to produce negative outcomes, but they must be tied to clear expectations around citizen protection and legal standards.”
Stirling acknowledged that political will can change outcomes.
“When President Trump was in office, senior figures including Donald Trump, J D Vance and Marco Rubio intervened in cases involving detained American citizens in the UAE. In several instances, high level engagement resulted in swift releases and repatriations. Strong ties were used to secure results.”
She added that Nigel Farage has expressed concern over cases handled by Detained in Dubai.
“Nigel Farage has shown concern for number of our advocacy issues. I find that encouraging. Political will matters. Where leaders are prepared to raise cases directly and unapologetically, outcomes can change.”
However, Stirling stressed that the principle applies to all parties.
“This is not about one political party. Diplomatic engagement should not merely be about trade and investment. It is also an opportunity to demonstrate resolve, protect nationals and uphold standards. The question is whether any UK political party is prepared to use its influence in that way.”
She concluded:
“Stronger relations are not inherently problematic. The critical question is whether those relations will be used to protect citizens or simply to protect trade. British citizens should never be collateral damage in trade diplomacy. Detained in Dubai will continue to press any party in government, or aspiring to government, to make the protection of its nationals non-negotiable.”
