Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse has revealed she was denied entry to Hong Kong during a personal visit to see her newborn grandson, describing the ordeal as a “devastating” and “cruel” experience.
The Bath MP travelled with her husband to the Chinese region on Thursday, but was detained upon arrival, questioned, and sent back to the UK on the next available flight. No reason was provided for the deportation. Her husband, however, was allowed to enter but chose to return with her.
Hobhouse is a member of the Inter Parliamentary Alliance on China, a group of over 40 MPs focused on monitoring Beijing’s human rights practices. Her exclusion is being widely interpreted as politically motivated due to her critical stance on China’s human rights record.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy called the incident “deeply concerning” and said the UK would urgently raise the matter with both Hong Kong and Beijing authorities. He added that barring a British MP simply for their parliamentary views would be “unacceptable.”
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has urged Lammy to summon the Chinese Ambassador, warning that the UK “cannot allow the Chinese government to attempt to undermine our democracy by intimidating our parliamentarians.” He said Hobhouse’s exclusion appeared to be “simply because she is a British Member of Parliament.”
The couple had been travelling to visit their son, who has lived in Hong Kong since 2019. Hobhouse expressed deep disappointment at not being able to meet her grandson, whom she had never seen. “My son was waiting at arrival. I couldn’t even see him or give him a hug,” she said. “I was obviously looking forward to holding my grandson and establishing a relationship.”
This incident follows recent reports of two UK Labour MPs being denied entry to Israel earlier this month, raising broader concerns over how foreign governments are treating British parliamentarians.
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