Dubai was found by Amnesty international to jail political prisoners
In a sign of just how authoritarian any potential Reform UK government would be, the party’s deputy leader Richard Tice has praised the autocratic state of Dubai for ‘just imprisoning or deporting anyone who cannot look after themselves’.
Tice made the comments during an interview with the BBC’s Nick Robinson, where he claimed that the UK could learn from Dubai’s national pride and low crime levels.
Asked about a column written by his partner Isabel Oakeshott in which she claimed that unlike ‘angry divided Britain’, Dubai is the ‘ultimate multicultural success story’, Tice refused to condemn her remarks.
Robinson continued to quote: “Those who break the law or can’t look after themselves are simply imprisoned or deported.”
He asked Tice: “Is that a better society, a place that simply imprisons or deports people who break the law?”
Dubai is ruled as an absolute monarchy, with a hereditary royal family at the head of government, and was found by Amnesty international to jail political prisoners.
It has been criticised by human rights organisations for its poor human rights record.
Reacting to Tice’s comments, campaign group Best for Britain wrote: “Apparently, a complete authoritarian absence of due process is worth it, so his girlfriend can go to the loo without her handbag.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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