Conservative MP Bob Stewart has been charged with racially abusing a man he allegedly told to “go back to Bahrain”.

The Metropolitan Police launched an investigation after a complaint was made by activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, who said he is living in exile after being tortured in the Gulf state.

The MP for Beckenham in south-east London is alleged to have told Mr Alwadaei during an angry confrontation on December 14 to “get stuffed” and that he is “taking money off my country”.

The Met said on Monday that the 73-year-old politician has been charged with a racially aggravated public order offence over the incident outside the Foreign Office’s Lancaster House.

He will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on July 5.

The MP is also charged with an alternative count of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to allow the court discretion on the racial element.

Stewart, a former British Army officer, has represented Beckenham since 2010 and is currently the chairman of the all-parliamentary group on Bahrain. 

He also serves on a number of parliamentary committees, including the Northern Ireland affairs committee and the intelligence and security committee.

Mr Alwadaei, 36, who said he was tortured after taking part in anti-government protests in the country, is the director of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy.

A Tory source told Sky News: "Bob has been clear that he regrets the comments that he made and he will be fighting the charges against him during a court appearance shortly."