British MP banned from Hong Kong while trying to visit newborn grandchild
Wera Hobhouse, a British MP for Bath, says she was left shocked and heartbroken after being denied entry to Hong Kong last week—the first UK parliamentarian to face such treatment since the former British colony was handed back to China in 1997, reported AP News.
Posting on Bluesky, Hobhouse revealed she had flown to Hong Kong with her husband to visit their newborn grandchild, only to be turned away at the border without explanation. “Authorities gave me no explanation for this cruel and upsetting blow,” she said. “I hope the Foreign Secretary will recognise that this is an insult to all parliamentarians and seek answers from the Chinese Ambassador.”
The British Consulate in Hong Kong confirmed it was aware of the incident and said it was “raising this urgently” with Hong Kong authorities. But so far, there’s been silence from the other side. In similar situations in the past, Hong Kong officials have offered no justification for such decisions.
Hobhouse is part of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a group of more than 40 MPs that keeps a close eye on Beijing’s human rights practices. That connection is likely to have triggered the block, as Beijing has shown zero tolerance for criticism—especially from foreign politicians.
Hong Kong, once promised 50 years of autonomy under the Sino-British Agreement, has increasingly fallen under Beijing’s tight grip. Since the massive pro-democracy protests of 2019, the city has clamped down hard on opposition voices. Restricted elections, jailed activists, and a sweeping national security law have all but crushed dissent.
While Hobhouse didn’t travel for political reasons this time, her involvement in the Alliance may have been enough to land her on an unofficial blacklist. The fact she was trying to see her grandchild makes the move feel all the more personal.
“It’s deeply upsetting,” she said. “Not being able to hold my grandchild is something I’ll never get back.”
As diplomatic tensions rise, many see her treatment as another sign of how far Hong Kong has shifted from the freedoms it once promised—and how openly Beijing is willing to show its displeasure.
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