Violent clashes and a boycott by opposition parties marred elections in
Bahrain at the weekend, the first held in the gulf kingdom since protests at
the height of the Arab Spring.

Nearly four years on from the 2011 uprising that rocked Bahrain and prompted a
crackdown in which dozens were killed, the parliamentary vote on Saturday
underscored the sectarian rift that still divides this western ally.

While Downing Street has thrown its weight behind the ruling family, meeting
persistent allegations of human rights abuses with only mild criticism, the
kingdom’s lack of reform is an embarrassment to the UK. Britain