Sir Keir Starmer is facing urgent calls from a cross-party group of MPs to secure the release of British citizen Jimmy Lai, who they warn faces a “de facto death sentence” in a Hong Kong prison, as the Prime Minister concludes his visit to China.
Pressure has mounted on Sir Keir to prioritise the case of the 78-year-old British national, an influential figure in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper. Mr Lai has been “arbitrarily detained” for over five years, much of it in solitary confinement, following his arrest in 2020 under Hong Kong’s national security law.
In a letter sent to the Prime Minister during his trip, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Arbitrary Detention and Hostage Affairs stated: “We hope one of the conditions of your visit is that you will be bringing Jimmy Lai home with you.”
The group expressed grave concerns for Mr Lai’s welfare, adding: “Following his conviction, which is unsound and politically motivated, if Jimmy remains arbitrarily detained by the Chinese Communist Party he is likely to receive a very lengthy custodial sentence, and possibly a life sentence. This will be a de facto death sentence for him given his age and declining health, exacerbated by his poor treatment. After being in solitary confinement for over 1,800 days, his health is rapidly deteriorating and his life is now at risk.”
Sir Keir’s visit to China has largely focused on fostering closer economic ties with the East Asian trading giant, aiming to mend relations after a strained period under the previous Conservative government. Negotiations have reportedly yielded a 30-day visa-free deal for Britons travelling to China and an easing of tariffs on whisky exports.
However, the APPG cautioned that the “UK’s bilateral and trading relationship with China must not be advanced without any regard for the life of a British citizen imprisoned for his defence of democratic values.” The letter was signed by its chairwoman, Tory shadow minister Alicia Kearns, alongside vice chairs Labour peer Baroness Helena Kennedy of the Shaws, SNP MP Brendan O’Hara, and Labour MP Tim Roca.
Responding to the concerns, Sir Keir confirmed he had a “respectful discussion” on Mr Lai’s detention, as well as the treatment of the Uighur minority, during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The Prime Minister stated: “We raised those issues, as you would expect. Part of the rationale for engagement is to make sure that we can both seize the opportunities that are available, which is what we’ve done, but also have a mature discussion about issues that we disagree on.”
