MPs urge Liverpool FC to cut ties with Standard Chartered over support for Hong Kong security law
MPs have urged Liverpool football club to break its sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered over the the bank’s past support for a draconian national security law in Hong Kong.
In a letter to Billy Hogan, the football team’s CEO, MPs and peers from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hong Kong highlighted that following mounting authoritarianism in Hong Kong over the last three years, “Standard Chartered have made no effort to stand up for the human rights, and principles of freedom and democracy which they benefit from as a UK-headquartered bank”.
Imposed two years ago, the National Security law has severely restricted freedoms of expression, assembly, and the press under the pretext of restoring stability in the city.
The bank publicly supported the legislation days before it was enforced, stating it would “help maintain the long term economic and social stability of Hong Kong”.
Standard Chartered, which has sponsored the club since 2010, declined to comment.