Saudi ambassador warns relationship with the UK 'at risk'
Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz has warned that an "alarming change" in the UK's attitude towards Saudi Arabia could lead to "serious repercussions", following Britain's cancellation of a deal to train Saudi prison staff, adding that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had "breached mutual respect" by claiming to be instrumental in the move.  Furthermore, the ambassador said that the "intense criticism" of the state's response to the Syrian refugee crisis had been "unfair, as it failed to acknowledge that Saudi Arabia has taken in over 2.5 million displaced Syrians", and that intelligence provided by Saudi authorities had helped the UK combat terrorism.  

GETTY•ANWAR HUSSEIN•EMPICS ENTERTAINMENT The ambassador warned of the repercussions if relations between both countries broke down

Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz, ambassador to the UK complained of a lack of "mutual respect" after a deal to train prison staff in the Gulf state was cancelled. In an unusual condemnation, the diplomat denounced leader of the opposition Jeremy Corbyn, accusing him of breaching respect by scuppering the trade deal with Riyadh. The furious prince also railed against an "alarming change in the way Saudi Arabia is discussed in Britain", warning that the wealthy kingdom would not be "lectured to" and urged respect for its strict system of Sharia law.

GETTY The prince is concerned with the change in attitude towards Saudi Arabia in Britain

He said: "One recent example of this mutual respect being breached was when Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Opposition, claimed that he had convinced Prime Minister David Cameron to cancel a prison consultancy contract with Saudi Arabia worth £5.9 million." "This coincided with speculation linking the contract's cancellation to a number of domestic events in the Kingdom. He warned: "If the extensive trade links between the two countries are going to be subordinate to certain political ideologies, then this vital commercial exchange is going to be at risk. "We want this relationship to continue but we will not be lectured to by anyone. Hasty decisions prompted by short-term gains often do more harm than good in the longer term."

GETTY Bin Abdulaziz accused Jeremy Corbyn of scuppering a trade deal between Britain and the Saudis

Mr Corbyn lobbied against the contract while urging the Government to intervene over a number of Saudi human rights abuses – including the planned execution of a protester, who was just 17 at the time of his alleged offence. He said the Government had been "shamed into" ditching the deal - which had initially been the only contract to survive Justice Secretary Michael Gove's axing of a controversial commercial body.

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Just as we respect the local traditions, customs, laws and religion of Britain, we expect Britain to grant us this same respect. Bin Abdulaziz