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Reposted by Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong

Daisy Cooper MP 🔶 @libdemdaisy.bsky.social · 13h

Hong Kongers in St Albans and around the UK are asking whether the Prime Minister is trading their safety and security in our communities, in favour of having a cosier relationship with Beijing.

At #PMQs I challenged the Prime Minister directly on this

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Reposted by Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong

Liberal Democrats @libdems.org.uk · 17h

Elon Musk is stoking far-right extremism on our streets.

The Prime Minister should order a security assessment of the threat Musk poses to our democracy.

@libdemdaisy.bsky.social

#PMQs

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 8h

The libdemshk team are very concerned and upset to see the vile personal attacks from Tommy Robinson on Daisy Cooper MP. She raised important questions on threats from China and the populist far right on UK's national security at PMQs.

We need more voices and support.
Together we're stronger.🧡

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Reposted by Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong

Liberal Democrats @libdems.org.uk · 18h

"It was once said of Ming that he runs the risk of giving politicians a good name. Well, he certainly did that."

Ed Davey remembers Ming Campbell 🔽

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 15h

Lib Dems press the Government for more reassurance on the rights of #HongKongers at Prime Minster Questions today.
- BNO
- targeted sanction on Chinese officials
- Stop mega embassy
- free Jimmy Lai

Ed Davey is attending the funeral of our former party leader Ming Campbell.
#Libdems #StandwithHK

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 15h

Thanks for the question Steve. Take the Spy case as an example, we believe there're poorly drafted questions from the Conservatives which do nothing to help alleviate threats on UK security. Therefore, small c and the right must hear from our policies and demands. We'll continue to speak for all.

Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 16h

3/🧵The promise PM Starmer made at PMQ to publish in full 3 witness statements on the China spy case is an important development.

It's a first step to answering questions revolving disclosure in the criminal case. We look forward to them, which should open up insights to the building of the case.

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 16h

2/🧵So what did prosecutors have in 2024 to say China was an enemy and what had changed since then? Was there a perception change to the evidence which disproved the fact following further evidence from certain people?

What evidence has the CPS asked for and, more importantly, for what purpose?▶️

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 16h

1/🧵 On the Chinese Spy case, prosecutors seems to be satisfied there are sufficient admissible evidence to charge the case in April 2024. The CPS wouldn't have permitted a case on promises of future evidence in a high profile case.▶️

Our earlier post on X👇

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 1d

Protests in Georgia <--> #democracy protests in Hong Kong
Russian misinformation <--> China's CCP whole-of-society operations

Larry discusses the similarities on operations from Russia / China intelligence services breaking apart a democracy movements.

www.libdemvoice.org/challenges-f...

Challenges for youth campaigners against authoritarian regime: from today's Georgia to yesterday's Hong Kong umbrella revolution

Democracy movements are getting younger. But youthful energy alone isn’t enough. Movements for freedom can be hijacked by malign influence or twisted into populist causes. The real challenge is keepin...

www.libdemvoice.org

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 1d

14/🧵Moreover, it's our impression that the Labour Gov continues to fail, like the previous administration, to realise the breath & depth of China's "whole-of-state" threat - explained in 2023 ISC report.

The China audit should've been a comprehensive accompanying explanation of this methodology.

Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 1d

13/🧵It is our impression that the Minister's statement to the house yesterday on the Chinese Spy Case / 'Official Secrets Act case' hasn't shut down covert foreign political malign influence or shutting down the opportunity for foreign actors to influence our politics through favours of any kind.

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 1d

12/🧵The matter before us is not simply that the public wants better transparency of political lobbying but rather that the public demands that the UK should be free of foreign state-sanctioned malign influence and that we should be free from harm and foreign state repressions.

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 1d

11/🧵Not only was Minister Dan Jarvis MP has failed to answer important questions about actions on public safety, resolving threats to national security and the protection of our democratic institutions.

Trying to frame resolving the Chinese Spy Case with a new 'Election Bill' is dangerous.

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 1d

10/🧵[Enhanced Tier FIRS on China]
So, why when the core of our democratic institution - UK Parliament, was targeted by China, the malign influence we know of, the fragility of the legs of a spy trial and yet the Government's Security Minister have refused to place China onto the FIRS Enhanced Tier?

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 1d

9/🧵[malign influence from CCP operations]
What has the Government done to make the UK the hardest operating environment for Chinese covert actions? Similar to Russia, China's Intelligence operations in the UK is well embedded and hence we have the alleged spy arrests and MI5 alerts on Christine Lee.

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 1d

8/🧵[On Proposed Mega Embassy]
Why knowing that China wants a better base for its UK operations, the first instinct from the Government minister is to try to quell concerns from the UK public and embark on a pathway to undermine pro-democracy campaigners?

Where was the interest on public safety?

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 1d

7/🧵[On trade]
Why does the Government's Security Minister still tell the House on 13 Oct that the importance of trade with China hasn't changed?

Knowing the China is a threat and similarly operates like the above case, what has the Government done on 'trade with China' that reflects protecting UK?

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 1d

6/🧵We know that Beijing asserts its strategic leadership in the triumvirate bloc of Russia, Iran and China.

R V Roussev has demonstrated a case where a member of this bloc is a threat and its breath & depth of operations in the UK.

Where China's malign influence operates in similar fashion, so:

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 1d

5/🧵And in R v Roussev
- the CPS proceeded to trial and a guilty verdict after a trial
- the Court's sentencing remarks took into accounts of the characteristics that Russia presents where it highlights
*breathe & depth of operations,
*threat to the public and,
*undermining of our democratic values

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 1d

4/🧵Coming back to R v Roussev & oth, the legs of the case are whether Russia presents a threat to the safety / national intersest to the UK and if so whether there's an agreement of the accused to obtain / communicate information to the threat (Russia) regardless of the usefulness of such info.

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 1d

3/🧵For example, The Offences Against the Person Act 1861 is significantly amended. Since 1861, we've legislated threats, conspiracy, and also made changes to the mode of trials.

Legislature & Government are breathing institutions to adapt law through a democratic process to better protect citizens.

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 1d

2/🧵There's a general assumption judicial decisions have an impact on government policies. We're not talking about Judicial Review here, but that the government has an obligation to protect the public and propose legislation that serves to better protect the public if there's a deficiency.

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Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · 1d

1/🧵 Below is taken from the sentencing remarks in Rex v Roussev & oth- the recent Russian spy ring operating in the UK. The highlighted are points the Court placed significant account in determining the gravity of the case.

Much of the considerations a reflection of the threat we perceive #China...

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Reposted by Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong

Larry Ngan @larryngan1.bsky.social · 2d

1/ This #hatecrimeawarenessweek, I'm proud the Liberal Democrats sponsored NC122 to the Crime and Policing Bill in Parliament which takes steps to classify anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes as 'aggravated' offences.

Liberal Democrats Friends of Hong Kong @libdemshk.bsky.social · Sep 11

I urge liberal democracies governments not to be fooled by Beijing's claim that the LGBT 'no' vote demonstrates it's not a rubber-stamp legislature.

The reality is Beijing has FULL CONTROL playing an act which ignores the rule-of-law in #HongKong.

- @larryngan1.bsky.social

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