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3w ago

British MP Refused Entry to Hong Kong in Unprecedented Incident Since 1997

Wera Hobhouse was denied entry during a personal visit to see her family, prompting calls for the UK Foreign Secretary to demand answers from China.

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Wera Hobhouse says she was given no reason for being refused entry
After 2019 protests paralysed Hong Kong, Beijing moved to further restrict elections
The Sunday Times newspaper said Wera Hobhouse had her passport confiscated, was asked about her job and the purpose of her visit, had her luggage searched and was then taken to the boarding gate

Overview

  • Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse was refused entry to Hong Kong on Thursday while attempting to visit her son and meet her newborn grandson.
  • Hobhouse underwent extensive airport security procedures, including passport confiscation, questioning, and luggage searches, before being sent back to the UK without explanation.
  • This marks the first time since 1997 that a British MP has been denied entry to Hong Kong, raising concerns over political motivations tied to her criticism of China’s human rights record.
  • Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and other MPs have urged Foreign Secretary David Lammy to summon the Chinese ambassador for an explanation and address the incident as a matter of urgency.
  • The refusal has intensified scrutiny of Hong Kong’s erosion of freedoms under the ‘one country, two systems’ framework and its implications for UK-China relations.