'This is an extraordinary position to be in'
Matthew Hedges, a British academic, has been jailed for life in the United Arab Emirates.
He was found guilty of spying on behalf of the British government. The 31-year-old, who's a PHD student at Durham University, has been held since May and has endured long spells of solitary confinement.
Reigate MP Crispin Blunt, from the from the Conservative Middle East Council, tells Radio 4's PM programme that "the UAE is a very long standing friend of the United Kingdom... we have the closest relationships between our royal families, between our governments, and on defence, and here we are in this outrageous position".
(Photo: Crispin Blunt MP Credit: Getty Images)
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