UK Tory MP says he was deported from Djibouti due to criticisms of China

The east African country has close ties to China and Tim Loughton had sanctions imposed on him by Beijing in 2021

A former government minister who has had sanctions imposed on him by China has said he was detained and deported by Djibouti as a “direct consequence” of the east African country’s close ties with Beijing.

Tim Loughton, the Conservative MP for East Worthing and Shoreham since 1997, said he was held for more than seven hours at the airport earlier this month, barred entry to Djibouti, and told he was being removed on the next available flight.