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

Starmer confirms immediate removal, but it is unclear if sanctions remain on former MP and two academics

China has lifted the sanctions it imposed on serving British MPs and peers in a significant sign of warming relations after Keir Starmer travelled to Beijing for landmark talks with Xi Jinping.

Nine UK citizens were banned from China in 2021, including five Conservative MPs and two members of the House of Lords, targeted for highlighting human rights violations against the Muslim Uyghur community.

However, it is unclear whether two academics and the former Tory MP Tim Loughton, who stepped down from parliament at the last election, who were also sanctioned, would be affected.

The Guardian revealed last year that the Chinese government was reviewing the sanctions, which it introduced in response to what it called “lies and disinformation” about human rights abuses in Xinjiang.