Wera Hobhouse, refused entry to Hong Kong, feels it was to 'silence me'

The Liberal Democrat MP for Tub spoke to BBC Newscast after she was barred from coming into Hong Kong

A Liberal Democrat MP barred from coming into Hong Kong has advised the BBC she believes it was to “shut me up and to silence me”.

Wera Hobhouse flew to Hong Kong along with her husband on Thursday to go to her son and new child grandson. Nevertheless she was detained on the airport, questioned and deported.

The MP for Tub, one among greater than 40 parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac) which criticises Beijing’s dealing with of human rights, mentioned she was given no purpose for being refused entry.

Talking on the BBC’s Newscast present on Sunday, she mentioned she needs “some solutions”, and mentioned she was not very “outspoken about China”.

Hobhouse advised Newscast she and her husband had been “trying ahead” to visiting their son, who has lived in Hong Kong, a particular administrative area of China, since 2019.

Whereas her husband “received processed fairly rapidly” and was allowed entry, she was taken apart for questioning, held for 5 hours after which placed on a return flight.

Requested by presenter Laura Kuenssberg what the authorities mentioned about why she was being detained, Hobhouse responded: “Nothing.”

“They mentioned to not fear at first, just some inquiries to reply.”

In response to the suggestion it may very well be resulting from her involvement in Ipac, which scrutinises Beijing’s human rights file, Hobhouse mentioned she was not very “outspoken about China”.

“I used to be solely standing up for our values,” she mentioned.

“It could be horrible if China makes use of this now to intimidate me, to cease me from talking out for human rights and liberty and democracy.

“That’s the very last thing that ought to occur, however that’s, after all most likely the intention, to close me up and to silence me.”

Hobhouse mentioned she had skilled enormous quantity of solidarity from “very anxious” MPs.

International Secretary David Lammy has promised to “urgently” increase the problem with authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing and “demand an evidence”

He added it could be “unacceptable for an MP to be denied entry for merely expressing their views as a parliamentarian”.

Lib Dem Chief Sir Ed Davey has referred to as for Lammy to summon the Chinese language ambassador, including the Chinese language authorities can’t be allowed to “undermine our democracy by intimidating our parliamentarians.”

“I would like some solutions,” Hobhouse mentioned, calling for Lammy to “reassure parliamentarians that this isn’t the best way the Chinese language communist events can deal with [them]”.

It comes per week after two Labour MPs have been denied entry to Israel whereas on a visit to go to the occupied West Financial institution.

“It is vitally chilling that authoritarian international locations can deal with us on this approach,” mentioned Hobhouse, including the “diplomatic understanding” through which we enable politicians into one another’s international locations appeared to be “collapsing”.

She has dominated out approaching the Chinese language embassy for permission enter Hong Kong, saying they’ll see their kin elsewhere.

Requested in regards to the timing of the incident within the week the UK authorities sought to take management of the Chinese language-owned British Metal plant in Scunthorpe, Lincs, Hobhouse mentioned she might solely speculate.

She referred to as for a “clear-eyed” strategy to what China needs from Britain, saying “it is not simply fluffy, pleasant relationships”.

“They need one thing from us. They use us and we should not be naïve about giving them entry to an excessive amount of, for instance our essential nationwide infrastructure.”

The Chinese language Embassy has been approached for remark.