AN MP was banned from entering Hong Kong to visit her newborn grandson after being held at the airport, quizzed and forced to fly home.
Wera Hobhouse, a Liberal Democrat, flew to the region on Thursday – where her passport was removed.
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She was then subjected to questioning over the purpose of her visit, while her bags were thoroughly searched and swabbed.
Officials then put her on the first flight home five hours later, a Cathay Pacific flight at 11.15pm – with no explanation.
The 65-year-old, who was elected in Bath in 2017, was left “shocked” by the ordeal and “very close to tears”, according to The Times.
She added: “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.
“I just said: ‘I want to see my grandson, I want to cuddle him. He was born three months ago, what is the problem?’ I am obviously devastated.”
She also said that she was not even permitted to hug her son, who she hadn’t seen for a year and who was waiting for her in arrivals.
Wera believes the events were because she is an MP and has criticised the lack of free speech in the region, which was under British rule until 1997.
She is also a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, a group that scrutinises human rights in China.
Members of the committee were warned about a potential ban from Hong Kong in 2014 – after announcing a visit as part of an inquiry.
But Thursday’s events mark the first known instance of a MP being refused entry since 1997.
Wera’s husband, businessman William, was allowed to enter – but decided to return to the UK.
The pair’s son, an academic at a university, moved to Hong Kong in 2019.
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has slammed the decision as “heartless” and called for foreign secretary David Lammy to “urgently” meet with the Chinese ambassador to “to provide a full account of why a British MP and her family have been treated in such an appalling way”.
He told The Times: “The UK cannot allow the Chinese government to attempt to undermine our democracy by intimidating our parliamentarians.”
Taking to X, he added: “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.”
It comes after two other MPs were deported from Israel last weekend.
Labour MPs Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed were booted out of the country after being interrogated at an Israeli airport.
Israel‘s immigration ministry suspected the pair of plans to “document the activities of security forces and spread anti-Israel hatred”.
David Lammy criticised the detention of the two MPs, calling it “unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning”.
The Foreign Secretary added that the rejection was “no way to treat British parliamentarians”.
He said in a statement: “It is unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning that two British MPs on a parliamentary delegation to Israel have been detained and refused entry by the Israeli authorities.
“I have made clear to my counterparts in the Israeli government that this is no way to treat British Parliamentarians, and we have been in contact with both MPs tonight to offer our support.”
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