Wera Hobhouse barred from seeing family in what Lib Dems call a blow to democratic values
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has urged Foreign Secretary David Lammy to summon the Chinese ambassador to explain why a sitting British MP was refused entry to Hong Kong.
Wera Hobhouse, the MP for Bath, had flown to Hong Kong on Thursday for a personal visit to see her son and meet her newborn grandson. However, upon arrival she was detained, questioned, and subsequently deported — without any official explanation. This is believed to be the first time a British Member of Parliament has been refused entry to Hong Kong since the territory was handed back to China in 1997.
Writing to the Foreign Secretary on Sunday, Sir Ed demanded immediate diplomatic action, stating:
“This is an outrageous and unacceptable affront. The Chinese ambassador must be summoned without delay and made to provide a full explanation for why a British MP has been treated in such an appalling way.”
Ms Hobhouse is a prominent member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac), a group of international lawmakers critical of Beijing’s human rights record. Many believe this association may have influenced her treatment at the border.
Speaking to The Times, Ms Hobhouse described the ordeal as “cruel”.
“My son was waiting for me at arrivals. I hadn’t seen him in a year. I didn’t even get to give him a hug,” she said. “No explanation was given. I was simply told I wasn’t allowed in.”
Foreign Secretary David Lammy expressed his concern over the incident on Saturday, saying:
“It is deeply concerning to hear that an MP on a personal trip has been refused entry to Hong Kong. I will be raising this issue directly with both the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities.”
Other MPs affiliated with Ipac released a joint statement, calling on the UK Government and Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to take a firm stand.
“Detained and deported without explanation, Hobhouse’s exclusion appears linked to her criticism of Beijing’s human rights record and her membership in Ipac,” they said.
“That this happened while UK ministers were in the region discussing trade and investment is frankly insulting to our Parliament and raises questions about the values we are willing to compromise.”
Ms Hobhouse, speaking on the BBC’s Newscast, said the experience was “chilling”, adding:
“It’s probably an attempt to shut me up. What’s frightening is that authoritarian governments now feel emboldened to treat elected politicians this way. There used to be a basic diplomatic understanding — that we might disagree, but we allowed each other’s representatives into our countries. That appears to be collapsing.”
The incident comes amid broader concerns about China’s tightening grip on Hong Kong, particularly since the imposition of the National Security Law in 2020, which has seen civil liberties significantly curtailed.
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This isn’t the first time China has targeted UK politicians. Beijing has previously banned several British MPs, including Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Nusrat Ghani, and Tom Tugendhat, over their criticism of the regime.
Mr Lammy reiterated the UK’s position in a statement on Sunday evening:
“As I said earlier this week, it would be unacceptable for any MP to be denied entry for merely expressing their views. Such unjustified restrictions on freedom of movement serve only to further tarnish Hong Kong’s international reputation.”
The incident follows closely on the heels of another diplomatic dispute, where Israel barred two Labour MPs from entry over their remarks about the Gaza conflict — a move which Lammy also condemned as “inappropriate and undemocratic”.
As pressure mounts on the Government to respond robustly to Hobhouse’s exclusion, questions are being raised over whether the UK’s efforts to deepen trade ties with China and Hong Kong are being prioritised over defending democratic principles.
