THE UK lawyer for the retired businessman Christopher Tappin, who was extradited to the US last month, has renewed calls for the government to intervene in his case after a Texas judge refused him bail.

Mr Tappin, 65, from Farnborough Park, Orpington, is being held at the Otero County Prison Facility in New Mexico accused of trying to sell batteries for missile parts to Iran.

The grandfather-of-one was refused bail earlier this week after the Americans deemed him a flight risk.

Campaigners for Mr Tappin have cited the case of the "NatWest Three" who were extradited to the US in 2006 on fraud charges.

Prime Minister at the time Tony Blair intervened and the defendants were given bail and electronically-monitored in Houston.

Karen Todner, who fought against his extradition in the UK courts, said: "Prior to Mr Tappin’s extradition I wrote to the Prime Minister, Home Secretary and the Attorney General to ask them to make representations to the US Prosecutors to withdraw their objections to Mr Tappin being granted bail.

"So far as I am aware no representations have been made and as we all now know Mr Tappin has been remanded into custody.

"I understand that he is being held in very unsuitable conditions including being shackled, having no reading material and having the light on 24 hours a day meaning that he is unable to sleep.

"There is an opportunity next week to appeal the decision to remand Mr Tappin in custody and I would once again urge our government to make representations to the US government to allow Mr Tappin bail.

"When the Natwest Three were extradited Tony Blair ordered Baroness Scotland to go to the United States to make representations on the Natwest Three’s behalf to obtain bail. I fail to understand why our government has not done the same for a 65-year-old grandfather."

UKIP leader and close friend of Mr Tappin, Nigel Farage MEP, has organised an e-petition demanding that David Cameron debates the US-UK extradition treaty with President Obama.

It so far has 3,891 signatures.