Hong Kong yesterday banned 12 pro-democracy campaigners from standing in forthcoming elections to the city’s parliament as China stoked tensions by re-iterating its threat to refuse up to three million residents eligible for British travel documents the right to leave. Carrie Lam’s Hong Kong administration, operating under Chinese rule, said the campaigners could not “genuinely” uphold the former UK colony’s mini-constitution because they oppose the imposition of Beijing’s draconian national security law. Those barred include Joshua Wong, founder of the now disbanded Demosisto Party, and Lester Shum. It came as Liu Xiaoming, China’s ambassador to the UK, re-affirmed that China was considering not recognising the British National (Overseas) passport. Up to three million Hong Kong residents are eligible for the document, and Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, has promised holding one would pave the way for residency in the UK. Beijing imposed new legislation a month ago to introduce po...
