UAE 'told Cameron to challenge Muslim brotherhood or lose arms deals and intelligence co-operation'

An oil deal with BP was also mentioned in documents

After a review, the government concluded this year that the Muslim Brotherhood should not be classified as a terrorist organisation (Getty)

The United Arab Emirates rep[ortedly threatened to stop a billion-pound arms deal and cut intelligence cooperation with the UK unless David Cameron took action to stop the Muslim Brotherhood.

Documents viewed by the Guardian allegedly revealed that the crown prince of Abu Dhabi was briefed to tell Mr Cameron he needed to act against and “challenge” the Islamist movement around the time Mohamed Morsi became the President of Egypt in 2012.

One of the conditions suggested to the Prime Minister was that he "reigned in" BBC coverage of events concerning the Muslim Brotherhood.

During the events in Egypt, some of the notes allegedly said Britain should be reminded: “in your enthusiasm to spread democracy don’t give oxygen to something that has yet to reveal itself for what it truly is”.

If Britain was to comply with the UAE’s advice, the briefing notes documented exchanges which could benefit the UK, including an oil deal allowing the UK to drill in the gulf bringing “BP back in the game”.

A “further deepening of the intelligence and military relationship” could also be expected, including a £6billion fighter jet deal, according to the documents.

However in 2013 when UK action did not appear to challenge the Muslim Brotherhood, Abu Dhabi did not buy the jets.

The Guardian reports that a few months later Mr Cameron announced a review of the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood in the UK. The UAE had previously said the Muslim Brotherhood was “ingrained” in British society.

A government report released in March of this year concluded that the Muslim Brotherhood should not be classified as a terrorist organisation.

At the time Mr Cameron was accused of setting up the review due to pressure from Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Former Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind told The Independent at the time: “We have a large number of friendly governments who are bitterly opposed to the Muslim Brotherhood and others who take the opposite view.”

The Independent has contacted the Foreign Office for comment.