Olympics boycott: Parliament pressure on Government over Beijing 2022

A party press release brings the news:

The Liberal Democrats secured a Government response in the House of Lords to calls for the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic games in 2022 to be boycotted if China continues its genocide against the Uighur people.

Despite peers from all political parties speaking in support of a boycott if these conditions are not met, the Government shirked responsibility on standing up for human rights.

Jamie Stone MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Sport, reacted to the lack of Government response:

It is clear political support is growing for a boycott of the Beijing 2022 games if China does not stop the horrifying genocide against the Uighur people. Yet instead of making a strong stand against a genocidal regime, the Government chose to shirk all responsibility.

The Government’s decision to let Olympic bodies and athletes make their own judgement on China’s genocide crimes is shameful. Britain should show leadership by setting out our conditions for a boycott of the games, or else we will be condemned to watching our athletes take part in propaganda exercise for a Chinese government committing heinous crimes.

Despite overwhelming evidence of forced labour and detention camps in China, where sterilization of women and torture is carried out, the Government has still not even decided if we will send Ministers to the 2022 games. It is time to act now and show true global leadership on human rights.

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