'So Heartless': China Condemned After British MP Blocked From Visiting Newborn Grandson
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat candidate for Bath, speaks after retaining her seat last year.China has been condemned for the “heartless” decision to block a British MP from visiting her newborn grandson.Wera Hobhouse was on her way to see her family in Hong Kong on Thursday when she was denied entry by the Chinese authorities.The Lib Dem MP, who is a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China and a critic of Beijing’s human rights record, told The Times she had been given no explanation.Describing the decision as “cruel”, she added: “My son was waiting at the other end at arrivals. I couldn’t even see him and give him a hug and I hadn’t seen him in a year.”Posting on X, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said: “Wera just wanted to visit her son in Hong Kong and meet her baby grandson for the first time. But after a 13-hour flight, the Chinese authorities turned her away – just because she’s a British MP. So heartless. And totally unacceptable.”Wera just wanted to visit her son in Hong Kong and meet her baby grandson for the first time. But after a 13-hour flight, the Chinese authorities turned her away – just because she’s a British MP.So heartless. And totally unacceptable. https://t.co/pDxxFUkcZd— Ed Davey (@EdwardJDavey) April 12, 2025Foreign secretary David Lammy has vowed to raise the issue with China.He said: “It is deeply concerning to hear that an MP on a personal trip has been refused entry to Hong Kong.“We will urgently raise this with the authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing to demand an explanation.”The diplomatic row comes just days after the Israeli government was criticised for refusing to allow Labour MPs Abtisam Mohamed and Yuan Yang to enter the country due to comments they had made about the conflict in Gaza.Labour has been trying to improve the UK’s links with China, with Keir Starmer becoming the first PM since 2018 to meet the country’s President Xi at a G20 summit last November.Rachel Reeves also visited Beijing in January to boost the UK’s economic ties with China.Related...China Is A Clear And Urgent Threat To The UK, Labour MPs WarnBleak Warning For Starmer As Russia, China And Iran Hike Up Defence SpendingLabour Minister Destroys Chris Philp With 1 Devastating Reminder About The Tories' Approach To China
