Kemi Badenoch Slams China For Banning MP – After Backing Israel For Doing The Same
Kemi Badenoch has criticised China for not allowing an MP into the country, just days after defending Israel’s right to stop anyone at their borders.
Liberal Democrat Wera Hobhouse was denied entry into Hong Kong while on an unofficial trip to visit family last week.
The MP has called for all ministerial visits to China to be cancelled until there is an explanation, while her party leader Ed Davey has urged the Foreign Office to summon the Chinese ambassador over the issue.
Badenoch has also slammed Beijing for its treatment of Hobhouse.
While on the campaign trail for May’s local elections, the Tory leader told PA Media today: “I’ve been very vocal in my criticism of China. It is a dictatorship.
“It uses slave labour. Wera Hobhouse was going on a personal trip. I don’t understand the reasons why she was refused entry.”
Reporters then asked Badenoch how this incident differed from Israel’s controversial decision not to allow two Labour MPs, Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed, into the country on an official trip.
The Tory leader triggered backlash when she appeared to justify Israel’s move just 11 days ago.
She told the BBC at the time that Israel has a right to “control its borders”, and it was “shocking that we have MPs in Labour who other countries will not allow through, I think that’s very significant.”
Foreign secretary David Lammy quickly slammed her remarks, writing on X: “It’s disgraceful you are cheerleading another country for detaining and deporting two British MPs.
“Do you say the same about Tory MPs banned from China? This government will continue to stand up for the rights of our MPs to speak their mind, whatever their party.”
Speaking today, Badenoch defended her latest comments and claimed “the two situations are different.”
She added: “So many Conservative colleagues have been sanctioned by China.
“They can’t go anywhere near the country. My view is that we need to really reassess our relationship with China.”
Badenoch also told reporters today that Labour is “too close” to China, and called for a “proper strategy” where there is a “proper reaction” if it breaks the rules on trade.
“I worry that this current government is too close to it,” she said. “I think [trade minister] Douglas Alexander has been out there trying to get, you know, investment on green tech at a time when we’re trying to get China out of steel, for example, and out of critical national infrastructure. So they need a proper plan and a proper strategy. Right now, they don’t have one.”
Her remarks come after a row erupted between the UK and China over British Steel’s Chinese owner, Jingye.
Parliament passed emergency legislation at the weekend permitting business secretary Jonathan Reynolds to take control of the Scunthorpe plant from Jingye.
It came after talks between the government and the firm to save the site broke down.
Reynolds initially claimed that he did not think a Chinese firm should have a say in Scunthorpe’s future.
He has since rowed back and insisted he was only talking about Jingye.
In comments published on their website this week, the Chinese Embassy in the UK hit back.
A spokesperson claimed: “The anti-China rhetoric of some individual British politicians is extremely absurd, reflecting their arrogance, ignorance and twisted mindset.”