Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse was denied entry into Hong Kong during a personal trip intended to visit her newborn grandson. Upon arrival on Thursday, she was detained at the airport, questioned, and subsequently deported without explanation. Her husband, who accompanied her, was permitted entry but chose to return to the UK with her.
Hobhouse, the MP for Bath since 2017, is a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a group that scrutinizes Beijing’s human rights record. She suspects her political role and criticism of China’s human rights practices contributed to her denial of entry.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey condemned the action as “heartless” and has called on Foreign Secretary David Lammy to summon the Chinese ambassador for a full explanation. Lammy expressed concern over the incident, stating it was “deeply concerning” and pledged to raise the matter urgently with authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing.
This marks the first known instance of a British MP being refused entry to Hong Kong since the 1997 handover. The incident is likely to raise further questions about the UK’s engagement with China, especially given recent tensions over human rights issues and the treatment of British parliamentarians abroad.
