Milton Keynes MPs reiterate support for city’s Hong Kong community

Our city’s Labour MPs have reiterated their support for Milton Keynes’s Hong Kong community today, as they commit to working with the Government to ensure promises made to BNO visa holders are kept in the face of changes to the immigration system.

BNO, or British National (Overseas), is a special type of nationality status granted to some people from Hong Kong before the 1997 handover of the territory from the UK to China. Around 3 million Hongkongers were eligible for this status, and the introduction of the BNO visa allowed those with BNO status and their close family members additional rights to live and work in the UK. It is estimated there could be over 1000 Hong Kong families in Milton Keynes.

With the introduction of new changes in the Government’s recently introduced Immigration White Paper, which seeks to fix the broken immigration system left by the previous Conservative Government and restore the public’s faith the system, our MPs in Milton Keynes are pledging to work with the Government to ensure that the promises made to BNO visa holders are upheld.

Emily Darlington, MP for Milton Keynes Central, said “There is no getting away from the fact that the public has lost trust in our country’s immigration system after years of neglect by the Conservatives. While we need to act to get the issue under control, we also want to continue to protect and celebrate the wonderful diversity of our city while ensuring people who have fled political violence can feel safe and secure in their future here in Milton Keynes.

She continued, “That’s why our approach prioritises proper consultation and a responsible legislative process. We will engage with the Hong Kong community here while this process continues, and advocate for the protections that the BNO community needs.”

Chris Curtis, MP for Milton Keynes North, added “The Conservatives left our immigration system in a shambolic state, and that needs to change. But that doesn’t mean unilaterally removing long-standing commitments to communities like Hongkongers, which is what Kemi Badenoch seemingly wishes to do.

He concluded, “We will continue to advocate for the rights of the Hong Kong community, who have fled political persecution and bring so much to our city. This will include writing to the Government on the issue and engaging with Hongkongers locally as the process moves forward. Our message to the BNO community is clear, we know you need our support, and we will be here for you.”