A diplomatic row has emerged after British Member of Parliament Wera Hobhouse was denied entry to Hong Kong during a personal trip to visit her grandson, sparking criticism from Westminster and demands for an official explanation from Chinese authorities.
Hobhouse, a Liberal Democrat representing Bath, arrived in Hong Kong last Thursday expecting a joyful reunion with her son and to meet her three-month-old grandson for the first time. Instead, she was detained at the airport, interrogated by immigration officials, had her passport taken, and was ultimately deported without explanation after being held for five hours.
Her husband, who was permitted to enter the city, chose to return to the UK alongside her. Their son, a university lecturer who has lived in Hong Kong since 2019, was left waiting in the arrivals hall unaware of the unfolding situation. 
“It was heartbreaking,” said Hobhouse. “All I wanted was to hug my grandson. I asked again and again for a reason, but none was given.”
Hobhouse, 65, believes her political background may have influenced the decision. She is a known critic of China’s human rights record and a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac), an international group of lawmakers who monitor Beijing’s global influence and human rights abuses.
The incident is believed to be the first of its kind since the UK handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997, and it has triggered sharp criticism from British lawmakers across party lines.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds expressed the UK government’s alarm over the incident during a Sunday interview on BBC. “If she was denied entry because of her role as a British MP, that is incredibly serious and absolutely unacceptable,” he said.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he would raise the matter directly with Chinese and Hong Kong officials. “It is deeply troubling that an elected UK MP on a family trip has been treated in this manner,” he said.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has called for an emergency meeting between Hobhouse and the foreign secretary, and has demanded that the Chinese ambassador to the UK be summoned for answers.
Members of Ipac also released a joint statement condemning Hobhouse’s treatment, calling it an attack on democratic values. “This action appears to be a direct response to her involvement in Ipac and her public stance on Beijing’s suppression of civil liberties. It sets a dangerous precedent.”
The situation has cast a shadow over the UK government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen trade and diplomatic ties with China. “It’s a diplomatic insult,” said one MP. “To host UK ministers while barring a parliamentarian from entry suggests a deepening disregard for international norms.”
Hobhouse said the experience left her shaken. “I’ve always believed that political differences should not interfere with personal relationships. But this was not just a rejection of me as a traveller — it felt like an attempt to silence me.”
Her case joins a growing list of UK politicians who have been targeted by Chinese authorities for their outspoken positions, including former Conservative Party leader Iain Duncan Smith and MP Nusrat Ghani, both of whom were previously sanctioned by Beijing.
As calls grow for a stronger UK response, the government is under pressure to reaffirm its support for MPs who face foreign reprisals for their democratic duties. The incident raises fresh concerns about Hong Kong’s autonomy and the continued erosion of freedoms in the region.
