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UK MP Denied Entry to Hong Kong Amid Concerns Over China Relations
A Liberal Democrat MP has expressed her astonishment after being refused entry into Hong Kong during a recent visit. Wera Hobhouse traveled to the Chinese territory on Thursday with the intention of meeting her newborn grandson, but instead found herself detained at the airport, interrogated, and subsequently deported on the next available flight back to the UK.
Representing Bath, Hobhouse is a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, which monitors human rights issues in Beijing. Despite her official capacity as a parliamentarian, she reported to the Sunday Times that she received no justification for her denial of entry.
In response, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has reached out to Foreign Secretary David Lammy, urging him to call upon the Chinese Ambassador to provide clarification regarding the incident. In his letter, which has been shared with the media, Sir Ed emphasized, “We are sure you will agree that this is a deeply concerning situation,” adding, “The UK cannot allow the Chinese government to attempt to undermine our democracy by intimidating our parliamentarians.”
During her attempted visit, Hobhouse was accompanied by her husband, who was permitted to enter Hong Kong but chose to return with her. The couple had traveled to see their son, a resident of Hong Kong since 2019.
Sir Ed remarked that the barring of Hobhouse from entry appeared to be solely due to her status as a British MP. This incident comes shortly after two Labour MPs, Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang, were similarly denied entry to Israel during a recent trip to the occupied West Bank.
The circumstances surrounding Hobhouse’s treatment are likely to intensify scrutiny regarding UK government relations with China. Notably, in 2021, Beijing imposed sanctions on five MPs who had been vocal critics of its policies.
Expressing her feelings in an interview with the Sunday Times, Hobhouse recounted the disappointment of not being able to see her son upon arrival. “I couldn’t even see him and give him a hug,” she lamented, noting she had not seen him in a year. She recounted the moment she was informed of her deportation: “When I was given the decision my voice was shaking and I was just saying: ‘Why, please explain to me?'” She described the lack of explanation as “cruel” and expressed her devastation. “I was obviously looking forward to holding [my grandson] and cuddling him and establishing a relationship,” she said, reflecting on the emotional toll of the experience. “Having to fly back, it was so hard. I didn’t cry but I was very close to tears.”
The Chinese Embassy and the UK Foreign Office have been approached for their comments regarding this incident.
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