Should Hong Kong citizens get right to live and work in UK?
Campaigners say Britain has responsibility to residents of former colony
There are calls for the UK government to restore the right of people in Hong Kong to live and work here.
As the political turmoil in the former British colony worsens and fears of intervention by China grow, campaigners say that Britain has a moral responsibility to protect residents who hold the passports it issued at handover.
Martin Lee, a longstanding campaigner known as Hong Kong’s “father of democracy”, said such a move is “the obligation of the British government”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Anson Chan, formerly the second highest official in the city, said the UK should consider the issue again: “You promised Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy and basic rights and freedoms – when those are taken away from them, surely Britain has a legal and moral responsibility to deal with the consequences.”
Ahead of Hong Kong’s handover in 1997, three million people held British Dependent Territories Citizens passports, which gave them right of abode in the UK.
However, as The Guardian explains, Britain replaced these with the British Nationals (Overseas) passport, which allowed visa-free travel to the UK but did not grant the right to live or work in Britain. They became dubbed BN(O) passports - “Britain says No”.
The Financial Times says several hundred protestors rallied outside the British consulate on the weekend, demanding a full British passport.
One demonstrator said that she was planning to renew her BN(O) passport. She added: “I don’t expect Britain to give me residency, but it might help me to get somewhere else.”
Last month, Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, told the Financial Times that Britain should grant Hong Kong citizens with BN(O) passports full UK nationality. He said that “a few” cabinet ministers were supportive of the decision.
The late Lord Ashdown campaigned for Hong Kongers to be given the right to claim British citizenship, comparing Britain’s replacement of the right to abode with the British Nationals (Overseas) passports with the Windrush scandal. He described the move as a “betrayal”.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Cautious optimism surrounds plans for the world's first nuclear fusion power plant
Talking Point Some in the industry feel that the plant will face many challenges
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Explore new worlds this winter at these 6 enlightening museum exhibitions
The Week Recommends Discover the estrados of Spain and the connection between art and chess in various African countries
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
2024: the year of Black country artists
In the Spotlight Beyoncé debuted 'Cowboy Carter' at the top of the country charts, shining a spotlight on artists like Shaboozey
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Does Trump have the power to end birthright citizenship?
Today's Big Question He couldn't do so easily, but it may be a battle he considers worth waging
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
'Underneath the noise, however, there's an existential crisis'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What will Trump's mass deportations look like?
Today's Big Question And will the public go along?
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
What will Trump do on day one?
Today's Big Question Presidents often promise immediate action, but rarely deliver
By David Faris Published
-
'This needs to be a bigger deal'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
John Prescott: was he Labour's last link to the working class?
Today's Big Quesiton 'A total one-off': tributes have poured in for the former deputy PM and trade unionist
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Last hopes for justice for UK's nuclear test veterans
Under the Radar Thousands of ex-service personnel say their lives have been blighted by aggressive cancers and genetic mutations
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will Donald Trump wreck the Brexit deal?
Today's Big Question President-elect's victory could help UK's reset with the EU, but a free-trade agreement with the US to dodge his threatened tariffs could hinder it
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published