persian gulf seemed to illustrate the high tension between regional powers backing rival combatants in wars in yemen and syriaspeaking in the british parliament mrs may said we are deeply disappointed and concerned at todays verdict we are raising it with the emirati authorities at the highest levelbritain has a long history of close political commercial and security ties with the united arab emirates dating to the 19th century when the seven sheikhdoms that now make up the united arab emirates were known as the trucial states and became a british protectorate the emirates which have been an independent state since 1971 remain a draw for british tourists and business interestscrispin blunt a lawmaker from mrs mays conservative party and a former head of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee called the sentencing of mr hedges wholly inconsistent with the behavior of a nation with whom we have a mutual defense accordin the past there have been regular reports of britons running afoul of judicial authorities in the conservative emirates usually over issues relating to personal morality and the consumption of alcoholdaniela tejada mr hedges wife was in court when the sentence was passed she said the british authorities had made it clear to the emirates leaders that her husband had not been engaged in espionageshe said the british authorities had handled the case appallingly from the very beginningthe british government must take a stand now for matthew one of their citizens she said according to news reports from dubaiafter the sentencing she said i dont know where they are taking him or what will happen now our nightmare has gotten even worse