Sanctioned parliamentarians warn Starmer against deal with China

British MPs and peers sanctioned by China have said their position should not be used as a “bargaining chip” in Sir Keir Starmer’s negotiations with Beijing.

The Chinese foreign ministry said the Prime Minister’s talks with president Xi Jinping had resulted in an agreement to “resume normal exchanges” between parliaments in Beijing and Westminster.

But the MPs and peers, including former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, said lifting restrictions on them should not be used as part of a deal to ease sanctions on Chinese politicians involved in human rights abuses in Xinjiang province.

The Chinese foreign ministry said: “The two sides agreed in principle to resume normal exchanges between the legislatures of the two countries.

“China welcomes British parliamentarians who have the willingness to visit China more and experience the real China.”

The UK imposed sanctions on four Chinese officials and a state-run organisation involved in human rights abuses in Xinjiang province, including against the Uighur Muslim minority.

In response, in 2021, Beijing imposed sanctions on senior politicians including: Sir Iain; former security minister Tom Tugendhat; Commons deputy speaker Nus Ghani; Tory MP Neil O’Brien; former MP Tim Loughton; and peers Lord Alton of Liverpool, and Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws.

In a joint statement, they said: “In response to rumours that Beijing is considering lifting sanctions on us in exchange for diplomatic and economic concessions, we wish to make our position unequivocally clear: we would rather remain under sanction indefinitely than have our status used as a bargaining chip to justify lifting British sanctions on those officials responsible for the genocide in Xinjiang.

“We would reject any deal that prioritises our personal convenience over the pursuit of justice for the Uighur people.

“We stand in total solidarity with our families, former colleagues, and the civil society organisations who remain targeted by the People’s Republic of China.

“We will not accept any reprieve that applies only to sitting lawmakers while others, including civil society organisations, remain sanctioned.”

Sir Keir met Chinese president Xi on Thursday in Beijing.

Downing Street said “they agreed they would continue to enhance co-operation on areas of mutual interest, while maintaining frank and open dialogue on areas of disagreement”.