China lifts sanctions on banned UK politicians as Starmer claims victory

China has lifted a ban on UK MPs and peers from entering the country, Keir Starmer has announced.

Several high-profile figures, including former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, were sanctioned by the Chinese government in 2021. The PM confirmed that the restrictions have been lifted after historic talks with President Xi Jinping.

Speaking to broadcasters in Shanghai, Mr Starmer said: “This has been a real cause for concern across Parliament. And therefore I did raise it and we had a discussion.

“And as a result, it’s clear from the Chinese that the restrictions no longer apply. And President Xi said what that means is that all parliamentarians are free to travel to China.

“But again, that’s something that couldn’t have happened if we weren’t here having the leader to leader, exchange. It doesn’t happen if you stick your head in the sand.”

Mr Starmer said President Xi’s decision “vindicates” his efforts to improve relations with China.

He said: “Now that rather vindicates my approach because that’s only because we’re here, that we have had the engagement and that has provided the opportunity for a leader-to-leader discussion on sensitive issues.”

In 2021, China imposed sanctions on nine UK citizens – including five MPs and two peers – for spreading what it said were “lies and disinformation” about the country. They included Tory MPs Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Nusrat Ghani, Tom Tugendhat, Neil O’Brien and former MP Tim Loughton, as well as Labour peer Baroness Kennedy and crossbench peer Lord Alton.

Also sanctioned was lawyer Sir Geoffrey Nice QC, chair of the Uighur Tribunal, and Newcastle University academic Jo Smith Finley. It is unclear whether sanctions will be lifted in relation to the two academics, as well as former MP Mr Loughton, given Mr Starmer only confirmed the agreement applied to parliamentarians.

China sanctioned the individuals after the UK government took measures over human rights abuses against the Uighur Muslims. At the time, then Tory PM Boris Johnson said those sanctioned were “shining a light” on “gross human rights violations”.

Before the announcement was today made on sanctions being lifted, the sanctioned politicians warned against using their status as a “bargaining chip”.

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 Uyghur 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.”