Nottingham East
Policy questionnaire
1. Tackling transnational repression by the Chinese and Hong Kong governments
Nadia Whittome (Labour Party):
I know that many of those who have fled Hong Kong continue to experience or fear harassment, threats and attacks, both towards themselves and their families. The Chinese government is known to carry out sophisticated campaigns of transnational repression and there have been numerous high profile attacks in recent years. Just this month, under Article 23 legislation, the Hong Kong authorities have cancelled the passports of six pro-democracy activists who are living in the UK and threatened anyone providing them funds with imprisonment.
To tackle transnational repression, I support the sanctioning of Hong Kong officials involved in this activity. The government should also strengthen legislation to ensure that political intimidation of Hongkongers is treated as a criminal offence.
I have also opposed the government’s asylum and immigration policies in recent years, which fundamentally restrict the right to seek asylum and leave those without a BN(O) passport in an even more precarious situation. I will always fight for the government to uphold the right to seek asylum and for decision-making on claims to take into account the threat of transnational repression.
2. Sanctioning Chinese and Hong Kong government officials responsible for human rights abuses
Nadia Whittome (Labour Party):
I have long supported the implementation of Magnitsky-style sanctions against senior officials involved in repression and human rights abuses, as has the Labour Party more generally.
I support Hong Kong Watch’s recent calls to sanction six Hong Kong officials in response to the enactment of Article 23 legislation and increasing transnational repression by the CCP in the UK.
3. Shutting down Confucius Institutes in the UK
Nadia Whittome (Labour Party):
I am aware of the concerns relating to Confucius Institutes with regards to academic freedom, their presentation of a selective and politicised view of China, and the potential risk of espionage. Human Rights Watch has criticised CIs for censoring certain topics and perspectives in course materials on political grounds and using hiring practices that take political loyalty into consideration.
Rishi Sunak promised to close Confucius Institutes during his Conservative Party leadership campaign, but has failed to do so. I would support the government closing Confucius Institutes and instead finding a way to increase knowledge of Chinese language and culture which is not linked to the CCP’s agenda.
4. Assisting Hong Kong immigrants in retrieving their Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF)
Nadia Whittome (Labour Party):
It is wrong that since 2023, Hongkongers in the UK who left under the British National (Overseas) passport program have been denied access to their MPF retirement savings. I want Hongkongers to be able to withdraw their savings, helping them to build a life in the UK.
I support Hong Kong Watch’s call for the next UK government to provide clarification to UK-based MPF trustees that the BNO visa is intended to lead to “permanent settlement and British citizenship” and to condemn this form of transnational repression.
5. Assisting Hong Kong immigrants in finding jobs commensurate with their work experience
Nadia Whittome (Labour Party):
Hongkongers who have recently arrived in the UK generally have high levels of education and skills, so it is concerning that a study from November 2023 found that only around half are employed and many of those that are in employment are working in jobs that do not match their skills or qualifications.
Most of these Hongkongers say the biggest barrier to finding a job is confident English. I would therefore like to see more higher level English language (ESOL) courses, as most provision is at beginner to intermediate level. I also support the study’s recommendation for quality careers advice and support with job matching.
6. Improving NHS services and reducing crimes in local communities
Nadia Whittome (Labour Party):
I have long campaigned for better funding and improvements to the NHS. I will always fight for a publicly-run NHS, publicly-funded through progressive taxation, with the resources to provide the best quality of care.
Labour has pledged to cut NHS waiting times with 40,000 more appointments every week. We will also train thousands more GPs, guarantee a face-to-face appointment for all those who want one and deliver a modern appointment booking system. To tackle the crisis in mental health, we will also employ 8,500 additional mental health staff.
In terms of reducing crime, I believe that more effective prevention is essential. That’s why I’m particularly pleased that Labour will intervene earlier to stop young people being drawn into crime by creating a new Young Futures programme with a network of hubs reaching every community. To offer young people a pathway out of violence, we will place youth workers and mentors in A&E units and Pupil Referral Units.
Labour will also act to reduce reoffending. We will work with prisons to improve offenders’ access to purposeful activity, such as learning, and ensure they create pre-release plans for those leaving custody. We will support prisons to link up with local employers and the voluntary sector to get ex-offenders into work, helping to prevent them from being drawn back into committing crime.
You can see a full list of all the candidates for the Nottingham East constituency here.
Last updated: 2/7/2024