Tory MP Bob Stewart to surrender Tory whip while appealing racially-aggravated offence

Conservative MP Bob Stewart has told the Chief Whip he wants to surrender the whip while he appeals racial abuse allegations.

Beckenham MP Bob Stewart has told Simon Hart he wishes to surrender the Conservative whip during the time he appeals against his conviction for a racially-aggravated public order offence, a government source has said.

The south-east London MP was found guilty to racially abusing a man after he allegedly told him to “go back to Bahrain”.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats led calls for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to act against the “totally unacceptable” behaviour of the 74-year-old Conservative backbencher.

A government source said Mr Stewart has informed Chief Whip Simon Hart that he wishes to surrender the party whip until a possible appeal of his conviction is resolved.

The MP got into a row with Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei outside the Foreign Office's Lancaster House in Westminster on December 14.

The 74-year-old had been attending an event hosted by the Bahraini embassy when protester Mr Alwadaei shouted “Bob Stewart, for how much did you sell yourself to the Bahraini regime?”

During a heated exchange, Stewart replied: “Go away, I hate you. You make a lot of fuss. Go back to Bahrain.”

In footage played during a trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, he also said: “Now shut up, you stupid man.”

Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring found the MP guilty of a racially aggravated public order offence and handed him a fine of £600, with additional legal costs bringing the total to £1,435.

Mr Goldspring, despite mentioning Stewart’s “immense positive character”, remarked: “I accept he is not racist per se, but that is not the case against him.

“Good men can do bad things.”

Labour and the Liberal Democrats previously called for him to lose the Tory whip.

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