Cardiff West

Pledge

I pledge to support Hongkongers

• in their pursuit of freedom and democracy;

• in their settlement and integration in the UK, including the existing BN(O) visa programme and support for Hongkonger asylum seekers facing political repression, and;

• in the exercise of their civic rights and freedoms, free from repression, in Britain.

John Urquhart (Independent): Signed

Policy questionnaire

1. Tackling transnational repression by the Chinese and Hong Kong governments

John Urquhart (Independent):

I believe passionately in protecting those who move to the UK from oppression from abroad, just as I believe passionately in defending those who live in the UK from oppression from our own ill-designed systems. The freedom of all to pursue becoming the best version of themselves they can is core to my ethos, as is the principle of individual consent. No-one should be punished for the decision to move, and when people make the choice to live in our communities, we have a responibility to ensure they can do so safely. This is common decency.

2. Sanctioning Chinese and Hong Kong government officials responsible for human rights abuses

John Urquhart (Independent):

I believe that anyone who commits human rights abuses should be prevented from profiting from doing so, and that anyone who wishes to profit from doing so should be dissuaded from doing so by all means available.

3. Shutting down Confucius Institutes in the UK

John Urquhart (Independent):

I think it is unacceptable for a foreign power to have influence over British universities, which is why I support free tuition at British universities not just for British students, but also for overseas students. I believe this would remove many levers of oppression for foreign states.

Furthermore and perhaps even more importantly, education is a wealth that we, as a wealthy country, should freely share – for the betterment of all, as well as ourselves.

4. Assisting Hong Kong immigrants in retrieving their Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF)

John Urquhart (Independent):

People should not be punished for moving from one country to another; we should not be held against our will anywhere, nor should others be held with the punishment meted out against us as example. As such, I fully support Hongkongers in their demand that they justly be able to retrieve their MPF.

5. Assisting Hong Kong immigrants in finding jobs commensurate with their work experience

John Urquhart (Independent):

I passionately believe in immigration: I believe that people coming to the UK do so because they see this country has something to offer, and that they, in turn, have something to offer. I applaud the spirit that this demonstrates; the determination and courage; the grit. I want to work alongside such people, and I thus want to do all I can to ensure Hongkongers and others moving to Britain from abroad are welcomed into jobs commensurate with their experience and knowledge – and abilities.

6. Improving NHS services and reducing crimes in local communities

John Urquhart (Independent):

The only way we can reduce antisocial behaviour is through better funding of local services – and likewise, the only way the National Health Service can improve, broadly, is through better funding. I will argue for both. But I will also argue for better democracy: currently, the National Health Service is a highly centralised system, and as all monolithic centralised systems, has harsh edges that are difficult for people living on the margins. More say for those people will smooth those edges, and more decentralisation will too.

You can see a full list of all the candidates for the Cardiff West constituency here.

Last updated: 1/7/2024