China has lifted sanctions from six serving British MPs and peers, Starmer says

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Pippa Crerar in BeijingJanuary 30, 2026 at 03:37 PM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

China has lifted sanctions on six serving British MPs and peers, originally imposed in 2021 for their criticism of human rights abuses against Uyghurs in Xinjiang. The announcement came after Keir Starmer's visit to Beijing, where he discussed the matter with President Xi Jinping. While the affected parliamentarians welcomed the removal, they emphasized their continued commitment to speaking out against human rights violations. They also criticized the selective lifting of sanctions, as measures remain in place for other sanctioned individuals, including an academic, a barrister, and a former MP. Starmer suggested Xi Jinping would be welcome in the UK for the G20 summit in 2027, but UK sanctions on Chinese officials remain in place.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Tom Tugendhat 35% House of Lords 40% Iain Duncan Smith 40% G20 ×350% Conservative Party (UK) 50% Xinjiang ×360% Uyghur ×270% Xi Jinping ×375% UK ×480% Keir Starmer ×485% China ×990%

Keywords

china sanctions 100% human rights 80% uyghur community 70% uk-china relations 70% xi jinping 60% keir starmer 60% g20 summit 50% parliamentarians 50% xinjiang 40%