China has lifted sanctions imposed on six serving British MPs and peers, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed on Friday during a visit to Beijing. The move is seen as a significant sign of warming relations following talks between Starmer and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The sanctions, introduced in 2021, targeted nine UK citizens including five Conservative MPs and two members of the House of Lords. They were imposed in response to what China called “lies and disinformation” about human rights abuses in Xinjiang, after the UK sanctioned Chinese officials over alleged atrocities against the Uyghur Muslim community.
Starmer said he raised the issue during his visit and that President Xi made clear the restrictions no longer apply. “All parliamentarians are welcome,” Starmer stated. However, the affected MPs and peers said they would not stop speaking out against human rights abuses, including the targeting of Uyghurs. They described the selective lifting of sanctions on sitting parliamentarians as “wrong”.
An academic, a barrister and a former Tory MP who were also sanctioned appear to remain subject to the measures. These include Newcastle University’s Dr Jo Smith Finley and Geoffrey Nice KC, who chaired the Uyghur tribunal. The seven parliamentarians issued a statement saying they would rather remain under sanction indefinitely than have their status used as a bargaining chip to justify lifting British sanctions on Chinese officials.
Starmer suggested that Xi would be welcome in the UK when it hosts the G20 summit in 2027. He also downplayed comments by US President Donald Trump, who described dealing with Beijing as “very dangerous”. Starmer said Trump was likely referring to Canada rather than the UK.
