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| Wera Hobhouse: MP barred from Hong Kong says it was to 'shut me up' | |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| The Liberal Democrat MP for Bath spoke to BBC Newscast after she was barred from entering Hong Kong | The Liberal Democrat MP for Bath spoke to BBC Newscast after she was barred from entering Hong Kong |
| A Liberal Democrat MP barred from entering Hong Kong has told the BBC she believes it was to "shut me up and to silence me". | A Liberal Democrat MP barred from entering Hong Kong has told the BBC she believes it was to "shut me up and to silence me". |
| Wera Hobhouse flew to Hong Kong with her husband on Thursday to visit her son and newborn grandson. However she was detained at the airport, questioned and deported. | Wera Hobhouse flew to Hong Kong with her husband on Thursday to visit her son and newborn grandson. However she was detained at the airport, questioned and deported. |
| The MP for Bath, one of more than 40 parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac) which criticises Beijing's handling of human rights, said she was given no reason for being refused entry. | The MP for Bath, one of more than 40 parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac) which criticises Beijing's handling of human rights, said she was given no reason for being refused entry. |
| Speaking on the BBC's Newscast show on Sunday, she said she wants "some answers", and said she was not very "outspoken about China". | Speaking on the BBC's Newscast show on Sunday, she said she wants "some answers", and said she was not very "outspoken about China". |
| Hobhouse told Newscast she and her husband had been looking forward to visiting their son, who has lived in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, since 2019. | |
| While her husband "got processed quite quickly" and was allowed entry, she was taken aside for questioning, held for five hours and then put on a return flight. | While her husband "got processed quite quickly" and was allowed entry, she was taken aside for questioning, held for five hours and then put on a return flight. |
| Asked by presenter Laura Kuenssberg what the authorities said about why she was being detained, Hobhouse responded: "Nothing." | Asked by presenter Laura Kuenssberg what the authorities said about why she was being detained, Hobhouse responded: "Nothing." |
| She added: "They said not to worry at first, just a few questions to answer." | |
| In response to the suggestion it could be due to her involvement in Ipac, which scrutinises Beijing's human rights record, Hobhouse said she was not very "outspoken about China". | In response to the suggestion it could be due to her involvement in Ipac, which scrutinises Beijing's human rights record, Hobhouse said she was not very "outspoken about China". |
| "I was only standing up for our values," she said. | "I was only standing up for our values," she said. |
| "It would be terrible if China uses this now to intimidate me, to stop me from speaking out for human rights and liberty and democracy. | "It would be terrible if China uses this now to intimidate me, to stop me from speaking out for human rights and liberty and democracy. |
| "That is the last thing that should happen, but that is, of course probably the intention, to shut me up and to silence me." | "That is the last thing that should happen, but that is, of course probably the intention, to shut me up and to silence me." |
| Hobhouse said she had experienced huge amount of solidarity from "very worried" MPs. | Hobhouse said she had experienced huge amount of solidarity from "very worried" MPs. |
| Foreign Secretary David Lammy has promised to "urgently" raise the issue with authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing and "demand an explanation". | |
| He added it would be "unacceptable for an MP to be denied entry for simply expressing their views as a parliamentarian". | He added it would be "unacceptable for an MP to be denied entry for simply expressing their views as a parliamentarian". |
| Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has called for Lammy to summon the Chinese ambassador, adding the Chinese government cannot be allowed to "undermine our democracy by intimidating our parliamentarians." | |
| "I want some answers," Hobhouse said, calling for Lammy to "reassure parliamentarians that this is not the way the Chinese communist parties can treat [them]". | "I want some answers," Hobhouse said, calling for Lammy to "reassure parliamentarians that this is not the way the Chinese communist parties can treat [them]". |
| On Monday, Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesperson Calum Miller said "we've still had no answers from Beijing". | |
| He urged the government to reject China's planning application for a new embassy in London. Housing Secretary Angela Rayner will decide whether to approve the plan, which has been opposed by the local council. | |
| "China wants to take advantage of the UK's openness while refusing entry to British MPs and placing bounties on the heads of democracy campaigners living in the UK," Miller said. | |
| It comes a week after two Labour MPs were denied entry to Israel while on a trip to visit the occupied West Bank. | It comes a week after two Labour MPs were denied entry to Israel while on a trip to visit the occupied West Bank. |
| "It is very chilling that authoritarian countries can treat us in this way," said Hobhouse, adding the "diplomatic understanding" in which we allow politicians into each other's countries seemed to be "collapsing". | "It is very chilling that authoritarian countries can treat us in this way," said Hobhouse, adding the "diplomatic understanding" in which we allow politicians into each other's countries seemed to be "collapsing". |
| She has ruled out approaching the Chinese embassy for permission to enter Hong Kong, saying they will see their relatives elsewhere. | |
| Asked about the timing of the incident in the week the UK government sought to take control of the Chinese-owned British Steel plant in Scunthorpe, Lincs, Hobhouse said she could only speculate. | Asked about the timing of the incident in the week the UK government sought to take control of the Chinese-owned British Steel plant in Scunthorpe, Lincs, Hobhouse said she could only speculate. |
| She called for a "clear-eyed" approach to what China wants from Britain, saying "it's not just fluffy, friendly relationships". | She called for a "clear-eyed" approach to what China wants from Britain, saying "it's not just fluffy, friendly relationships". |
| "They want something from us. They use us and we must not be naïve about giving them access to too much, for example our critical national infrastructure." | "They want something from us. They use us and we must not be naïve about giving them access to too much, for example our critical national infrastructure." |
| The Chinese Embassy has been approached for comment. | The Chinese Embassy has been approached for comment. |