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China 'is not a strategic ally' of the UK, MP tells LBC after she was denied entry to Hong Kong
14 April 2025, 11:24 | Updated: 14 April 2025, 15:33
An MP who was denied entry to Hong Kong by the Chinese government says her case shows that China "is not a strategic ally" of the UK.
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Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse told LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast she was "disappointed and depressed" after she was detained and questioned by Hong Kong Airport security staff on Thursday.
The 65-year-old had hoped to visit her son, who had worked there since 2019, and her three-month old grandson, but was sent on a flight back to Britain without any explanation.
When asked what the ordeal represented, Ms Hobhouse said: "I think it is a stark reminder that China is not a strategic ally. In fact, in some cases you could be arguing it's the opposite.
"They're not a democracy. The [Chinese Communist Party] are only interested to expand their influence over countries like the UK and you should be pretty clear-eyed about that."
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Ms Hobhouse, a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac) that criticises Beijing's handling of human rights, arrived at Hong Kong Airport after a 13-hour flight with her husband and waited to have her passport processed.
"We were standing in these passport check rows, and everybody was processed very quickly," the MP said.
"And then I stepped forward and as soon as the officials saw my passport, there was a delay then I was asked to step aside.
"My husband was also processed very quickly. Like everybody else, he was given his visa. Fortunately, he then didn't go through to baggage control, but he stayed with me otherwise I wouldn't have seen him again, at least not for the ten days."
The politician was then held for a "long time" by officials, who interviewed her and "carefully searched" her luggage.
She continued: "At the end of those three hours, my husband was allowed to go through, but he decided to stay with me.
"But I was told no, I couldn't. I couldn't come in. And that was a shock. I thought I might be interviewed, but after a few questions, they would let me through. Once the 'no' came, I was saying 'what? Why? I only want to see my grandson. Can somebody explain this to me? Can I talk to the person who made the decision?' But they had this very automatic reply again and again. They said: 'we are so sorry. We understand'."
Ms Hobhouse's case is the first since she the UK handed over the former colony and her experience has outraged a number of her Westminster colleagues.
Her party leader Sir Ed Davey labelled the decision "heartless" and "totally unacceptable", while party foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller said the decision was "truly shocking behaviour by the Hong Kong authorities".
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he would be pushing for an explanation from the Chinese government.
When asked about what she would like to happen next, Ms Hobhouse said: "I certainly think we want an explanation because I'm not a particularly outspoken China critic.
"Is any UK MP barred from entering on Hong Kong because we are standing up for freedom, democracy and human rights?
"Where would we be if none of us can speak up for what our democracy is actually based on and stand in solidarity with those people who live in countries where those values are somewhat shaky?"
