Berkshire MPs condemn deportation of Yuan Yang
The Labour MP for Earley and Woodley was refused entry to Israel alongside the MP for Sheffield Central and their two aids on Saturday
Last updated 9th Apr 2025
The majority of Berkshire’s MPs have condemned Israel for denying entry and deporting Yuan Yang while she was on a trip to visit the occupied West Bank.
Yuan Yang, Labour MP for Woodley and Earley, was refused entry from Israel alongside MP for Sheffield Central Abtisam Mohamed and their two aids on Saturday, April 5.
The pair said they were ‘astounded’ at the ‘unprecedented step’ taken by Israel’s authorities, who claimed the MPs intended to ‘spread hate speech’ against the country.
In a joint statement published on April 6, Yang and Mohamed said: “We are two out of scores of MPs who have spoken out in Parliament in recent months on the Israel-Palestine conflict and the importance of complying with International Humanitarian Law.
“Parliamentarians should feel free to speak truthfully in the House of Commons without fear of being targeted.”
They added it was ‘vital’ that parliamentarians are able to witness first hand the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory.
MPs for Reading Central Matt Rodda and Bracknell Peter Swallow have reiterated Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s reaction to the situation, which he called ‘deeply concerning’.
Lammy said: “It is unacceptable, counter-productive and deeply concerning that two British MPs on a parliamentary delegation to Israel have been detained and refused entry by the Israeli authorities.”
Liberal Democrat MP for Wokingham Clive Jones said it was ‘utterly wrong’ for Israel to deny the MPs entry.
His party is calling for the Foreign Secretary to summon the Israeli Ambassador to explain why this happened.
Mr Jones said: “There are many different views in the House of Commons on the Israel/Gaza conflict, but I had hoped that British Parliamentarians might be united in their belief that the Israeli Government’s decision to deny entry to Israel to two British MPs is wrong.”
He went on to criticise leader of the Conservatives Kemi Badenoch for her response to the incident.
Ms Badenoch said Israel had a right to ‘control its borders’ but it was ‘significant’ there were Labour MPs other countries did not want to let in.
Conservative MP for Windsor Jack Rankin has supported Ms Badenoch’s statements on social media.
The Israeli immigration authority said Interior Minister Moshe Arbel denied entry to the four individuals after they were questioned and accused them of travelling to ‘document the security forces’.
The Israeli embassy in London said the country “will not allow the entry of individuals or entities that act against the state and its citizens”.
It said Mohamed and Yang had “accused Israel of false claims” and were “actively involved in promoting sanctions against Israeli ministers”.