UAE torture: What will Labour do?

Given that the United Arab Emirates is the UK's largest export market for non-military goods, I wonder what New Labours reaction will be to news that a video tape smuggled out of the UAE shows a member of the country's royal family torturing a man with whips, electric cattle prod and a wooden planks with nails in it.

This is then followed up by the prince rubbing salt in the wounds before driving over the chap in his Mercedes SUV.

And all this with the assistance of the local police and the cameraman who was filming the torture on the orders of the Sheikh.

The UAE Ministry of the Interior said it had reviewed the tape and acknowledged the involvement of Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan, brother of the country's crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed.

"The incidents depicted in the video tapes were not part of a pattern of behavior," the Interior Ministry's statement declared.

The Minister of the Interior is also one of Sheikh Issa's brother. So obviously it is going to be an impartial report much like New Labour looking into the death of Dr David Kelly.

The government statement said its review found "all rules, policies and procedures were followed correctly by the Police Department."

So will Labour talk tough and remove export licenses to that land? Or will be like the case of our nationals tortured by barbarians in Saudi and New Labour will offer them legal support.

I wonder what their ethical foreign policy response will be this time? Will the banana of justice be waved by Miliband at the UAE?

Bury heads in sand and pretend it never happened then concentrate on fiddling their expenses is the most likely...

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