Hongkongers in UK flex political muscles as the country goes to the polls on Thursday

The new wave of Hong Kong migrants in Britain have already engaged politically and the three main UK-wide parties have included city in manifestos

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A sign for a polling station near Westminster as the UK prepares for Thursday’s general election. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 9:00pm, 3 Jul 2024Updated: 12:27am, 4 Jul 2024

Britain’s general election on Thursday will also mark the start of political engagement for the latest wave of Hong Kong migrants, with some already lobbying candidates, activists who have settled in the country have said.

The three major UK-wide parties – the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats – also highlighted the Hong Kong vote in their election manifestos and pledged to continue the bespoke visa scheme Westminster introduced after the Beijing-imposed national security law came into force in 2020.

Former city lawmaker Lee Wing-tat, a member of the organising committee of campaign group Vote for Hong Kong 2024 (V4HK), said the emergence of a distinctive voice in British politics was “just the beginning”.

“We have to urge more members of parliament to care about the topics of Hong Kong after the election and to make our voices heard,” added Lee, who lives in Sutton in south London.

About 144,400 visa holders had arrived in the UK by March after the British National (Overseas) visa scheme opened to applications in January 2021. Those settled in the country under the scheme will be able to vote in a general election for the first time.

Some recent immigrants from Hong Kong launched the V4HK campaign, designed to mobilise people from the city now settled in the UK to make their voices heard in the election.