How Britain failed Jimmy Lai

There is something shameful about the government’s reluctance to publicly call for the release of Jimmy Lai, a British citizen and democracy campaigner, held in solitary confinement in Hong Kong. Lai, the founder of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, and one of the most prominent critics of China’s Communist Party, has languished in prison for more than 1,100 days. His trial, on national security charges, finally got underway today. Yet it is only now that a British minister has summoned up the courage to properly condemn Lai’s prosecution for the politically motivated sham it undoubtedly is.

Lord Cameron, the foreign secretary, said he was ‘gravely concerned’ about the trial, and joined the  United States and European Union in calling for Lai’s immediate release. Britain should be leading the way in speaking up for the rights of its own citizens rather than belatedly following the lead set by other countries. Even so, better late than never.