An MP has been barred from entering Hong Kong to visit her own newborn grandson in a “heartless and totally unacceptable” crackdown by Chinese authorities.
Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse had flown to the former British Crown Colony on Thursday – but was held up and interrogated at airport security by immigration officers for five hours before being deported.
Hobhouse had her passport confiscated, was probed about her job and purpose of her trip, had her luggage searched and swabbed, and was then frogmarched to the boarding gate by authorities.
The Bath MP told The Times she was left “shocked” and “very close to tears” when she was refused entry – and said she had not even been able to hug her own son who was waiting for her in arrivals.
Hobhouse had her passport confiscated, was probed about her job and purpose of her trip, had her luggage searched and swabbed, and was then frogmarched to the boarding gate by authorities
PA
Her party leader Sir 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.”
William, her businessman husband, was with her and was allowed to enter – but decided to return to Britain with his wife.
Hobhouse had never visited Hong Kong prior – and had been excited to spend time with her son’s family, having seen them just a handful of times in recent years.
“My son was waiting at the other end at arrivals,” she said. “I couldn’t even see him and give him a hug and I hadn’t seen him in a year.
“When I was given the decision, my voice was shaking – and I was just saying: ‘Why, please explain to me?’ They never gave me an explanation. That was so cruel.”
Hobhouse is a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac), an international group of politicians which is highly critical of China – and has vocally opposed Beijing’s crackdown on free speech in Hong Kong.
And it comes just days after Ipac founder Luke de Pulford and other top security experts warned of the growing threats of China to GB News.
